Teddy Bears’ Picnic celebrates Yi Lan and Xing Qiu – and marks the launch of a new Giant Panda experience.
Adelaide Zoo has celebrated all things black, white and fluffy today, with Giant Pandas Yi Lan and Xing Qiu taking centre stage for the annual Teddy Bears’ Picnic.
More than 4,000 people came through the gates to join the celebrations, which fell between the pair’s birthdays – Yi Lan turned five on 10 August and Xing Qiu will turn six on 29 September.
Adelaide Zoo Team Supervisor Pij Olijnyk said Teddy Bears’ Picnic was one of the biggest days of the year for the Giant Panda keeping team.
“It’s the biggest day on the calendar for us panda crew and a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Yi Lan and Xing Qiu with our visitors,” Pij said.
“We threw them a massive party with a winter wonderland theme, lots of extra enrichment and plenty of attention from their keepers.
“We’ve had panda face painting, a massive inflatable panda and lots of extra activities for visitors. It’s been a beautiful winter day and a really fun way to celebrate the pandas.”
Xing Qiu, in true form, snoozed through much of the celebrations before enjoying his special enrichment at his own pace later in the day.
The celebrations come as the young pair continue to grow and settle into life in South Australia.
“Yi Lan has just turned five and Xing Qiu is about to turn six, so they’re still very young pandas,” Pij said.
“They’re continuing to grow and they’re also still adjusting to Adelaide’s seasons, which are a little different to what they experienced growing up in China.”
The celebrations also marked the launch of Through the Looking Glass, Adelaide Zoo’s brand-new Giant Panda experience, offering guests the chance to see Bamboo Forest from the other side of the glass.
Before Adelaide Zoo opens for the day, guests can step beyond the visitor path and into the Giant Panda habitat itself with a keeper, helping prepare food and enrichment before watching Yi Lan or Xing Qiu explore what has been set up.
“We’re really excited to launch Through the Looking Glass and give people a different perspective on how we care for Yi Lan and Xing Qiu,” Pij said.
“You’ll help us prepare the habitat for the morning and then be there when the panda comes out and interacts with what you’ve helped put together.
“It’s a really special way to experience the pandas and learn more about what goes into caring for them each day.”
Giant Pandas are classified as Vulnerable in the wild, with their improved conservation status reflecting decades of conservation work in China and around the world.
As a not-for-profit conservation charity, every visit and animal experience at Adelaide Zoo helps Zoos SA continue its work to connect people with nature and save species from extinction.
For more information about Through the Looking Glass, visit the Adelaide Zoo website.
