Le Le To Appear At River Wonders’ Giant Panda Forest Exhibit For Last Time On 13 Dec
When Le Le was born in 2021, the world rejoiced as the cub was the culmination of many failed attempts to get adult pandas Jia Jia and Kai Kai to conceive. Sadly, his time in Singapore is limited, as he is due to return to China soon as part of a Giant Panda conservation programme.
Now, Mandai Wildlife Group has revealed the exact date of Le Le’s departure to be 16 Jan 2024.
But since he has to be in quarantine sometime before that, the cub will appear at his exhibit for the last time on 13 Dec.
Folks who have yet to see him or would like to say goodbye should thus make a visit to River Wonders soon.
Panda cub Le Le leaving for China in Jan 2024
In a press release on Sunday (12 Nov), Mandai Wildlife Group announced that Giant Panda Cub Le Le will be leaving for China on 16 Jan 2024 via Singapore Airlines (SIA).
While we doubt he’ll be flying First Class, the cub will be receiving first-class care from his team, who’ll prepare him for his long journey.
To do so, they’ll have to put him in quarantine until his departure date next year. Therefore, Le Le will make his final public appearance at the Pavilion Capital Giant Panda Forest at River Wonders on 13 Dec 2023.
The ongoing farewell campaign for Le Le will continue till the aforementioned date, before the panda cub leaves Singapore for China.
Besides photo points for visitors to capture memories of their time with Le Le, there’s also a mailbox for anyone to leave him farewell messages.
Just like we celebrated his arrival, River Wonders will be hosting a farewell party for Le Le on 13 Dec. Details aren’t available yet but you can find out more about the various activities available to celebrate the cub’s milestones here.
Care team ensuring cub’s smooth transition
Ahead of his lone travel, Le Le has had to spend time apart from his mother Jia Jia, with whom he once shared a close bond.
Mandai Wildlife Group shared that the mother has “started exhibiting avoidance behaviours such as moving away when Le Le approaches”. Jia Jia has also apparently been chasing Le Le away, which they claim is the natural progression for the Giant Panda species before the mother eventually rejects her cub.
Leading up to Le Le’s departure, the bears will timeshare the exhibit, so visitors may see them separately at these timings:
- Le Le – 10am – 2pm
- Jia Jia – 2pm – 6pm
If you’d like to drop by River Wonders soon, here’s how to get there:
River Wonders
Address: 80 Mandai Lake Rd, Singapore 729826
Opening hours: 10am – 7pm daily
Buses available from: Khatib (shuttle service), Choa Chu Kang, Ang Mo Kio & Springleaf MRT Stations
You can also hop on bus services in the heartlands or find out where to park if you intend to drive. More details are available here.
Once you’ve planned your visit, remember to secure tickets before making your way there.
Hope Le Le will have a smooth journey
According to Mandai Wildlife Group, Le Le has already received two vaccinations and will undergo health assessments throughout his time in quarantine.
As he’ll be travelling in a customised crate, the cub’s care team will condition him to the vessel before he makes his journey.
The consistent process will guide Le Le towards entering the crate voluntarily and getting comfortable inside, so he’ll have a stress-free trip.
Mandai Wildlife Group will additionally be working closely with SIA to ensure the cub’s comfort.
Hopefully, all their efforts will be fruitful and Le Le will reach his destination and adjust to his new home safely.
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All images courtesy of Mandai Wildlife Group.
