News and Media Releases

With Panda excitement building in Adelaide ahead of the arrival of Wang Wang and Funi in September for their 10 year stay, the two organisations have agreed to team up and deliver products which will support conservation programs for Giant Pandas.

Dr Chris West, CEO of Zoos SA said as an ambassador species for conservation, the Giant Panda will help to educate the Australian public about the importance of conserving endangered wildlife.

“With less than 2000 Giant Panda remaining in the wild, scientists from Zoos SA Conservation Ark will work with our Chinese colleagues on research and conservation projects to help improve our knowledge of Giant Panda nutrition and reproductive biology,” Dr West said.

“This will be the first occasion that a breeding pair of Giant Pandas will live permanently in the southern hemisphere providing a unique opportunity for furthering our understanding of this rare and charismatic animal.”

Haigh’s Chocolates Chief Executive Officer Alister Haigh said a new 125 gram milk chocolate Giant Panda is in early production and will be ready for sale in September. “This is an exciting partnership for Haigh’s - part proceeds of each Giant Panda chocolate sold will be donated to Adelaide Zoo to help fund the Giant Panda nutrition and reproductive projects.”

A Memorandum of Understanding between Zoos SA and Haigh’s Chocolates will result in Haigh’s using the Adelaide Zoo logo on a new ‘panda square’ range.

The small chocolate squares are going on sale immediately with the 125 gram Giant Panda chocolate to follow later in the year through Haigh’s 12 stores in Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney.

Haigh’s have a long  history of supporting conservation projects for endangered species, including bilbies with Rabbit Free Australia and the Adelaide Zoo Bilby Exhibit, native frog species through Amphibian Ark and more recently native fish with Healthy Rivers Australia through the chocolate Murray Cod.