1,000 Guests Turn Up At River Wonders On 13 Dec To Bid Giant Panda Cub Le Le Farewell
Singapore’s first giant panda cub, Le Le, has always been a highlight of every visitor’s trip to River Wonders.
Unfortunately, the time has come for the next chapter in his life, which involves him moving into China’s panda conservation programme.
Today (13 Dec) was his last day in his exhibit at the Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest. As anticipated, a large crowd of about 1,000 visitors turned up to bid him farewell.
1,000 visitors turn up to bid Le Le farewell
On Wednesday (13 Dec), about 1,000 guests, including locals and international visitors, turned up to bid Le Le farewell.
Image courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group
A surprise arrival in Singapore back in August 2021, both local and international fans have closely watched Le Le grow over the past two years.
In a media release, Deputy CEO of Life Sciences and Operations and Chief Life Sciences Officer, Mandai Wildlife Group Dr Cheng Wen-Haur described Le Le as a “confident, inquisitive and independent bear”.
Dr Cheng said that Le Le was adored by all who have had the privilege of caring for him and found it heartening to see people from all walks of life coming together for the two-year-old.
Keepers reminisce about their favourite memories with Le Le
Le Le time in Singapore might have been short but it has certainly left an impact.
Speaking to MS News, Norfaizah Abdul Aziz, a keeper for Mandai Wildlife Group said:
Having spent nearly every day with him since his birth, we will definitely miss him.
“We are very proud of how he has grown into an independent and confident bear,” she added.
Image courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group
The knowledge that he would be joining the conservation programme in China and contributing to efforts to protect the species also brought caretakers a sense of pride.
Norfaizah went on to share her favourite memory with Le Le, which involved her carrying him with a basket to weigh him.
“He was so small and fluffy then,” Norfaizah reminisced. “As time flew by, I couldn’t carry him in the basket anymore, so I needed to hug him to weigh him.”
During his time in Singapore, Le Le’s care team made sure he received the best living environment and welfare possible.
The team also innovated on novel “toys” for him to Le Le to play with.
These would help ensure he could climb and navigate his way through the trees. Such ‘”toys” also involved puzzles that provide mental stimulation.
Panda cub will enjoy maximum comfort during trip to China
Le Le’s move to China will involve a 4.5-hour flight aboard a Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400F freighter aircraft.
It will depart at about 7.15pm on 16 Jan 2024 for Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.
Le Le’s travel essentials for the trip include an in-flight meal of up to 50kg of bamboo, bamboo shots, fruits, pellets, and water.
Source: Singapore Travelholic on Facebook
To ensure Le Le’s comfort, the ambient cabin temperature will be set between 15°C and 16°C, consistent with the temperature of his habitat at River Wonders.
Le Le will be accompanied by three individuals on his trip:
- Keeper from Mandai Wildlife Group
- Veterinarian from Mandai Wildlife Group
- Keeper from China
After arriving in Chengdu at 11.30pm local time, Le Le will be conveyed to a quarantine facility in Sichuan Province.
To condition Le Le for the flight, keepers have been coaxing him to enter and stay in his custom travel carte by using treats.
Image courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group
The crate features a removable plywood board at each end to facilitate feedings and checks.
While short, Le Le’s time in Singapore has been monumental.
Even though he will soon be miles away, his legacy will continue living on in Singapore through those who remember him.
Those who’d like to pay homage to Le Le’s time in Singapore can also leave artistic strokes on what will eventually be a painting of the panda cub.
Open to all, the paint-by-numbers art piece can be found outside the Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest from 13 to 17 Dec, 10am to 2pm.
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Featured image courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group.
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