KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysians on Friday flocked to Zoo Negara, the country's national zoo, eager to lay eyes on the third giant panda cub born in Malaysia which is being unveiled to the public for the first time.
The as yet unnamed giant panda cub was born in May, bringing the total number of giant pandas housed at the Giant Panda Conservation Center to four. It is also the first male giant panda born in Malaysia, following his two sisters Nuan Nuan and Yi Yi.
The giant panda cub is in good health and currently weighs about 7.4kg, Giant Panda Conservation Center's director Mat Naim Ramli told Xinhua.
"We have taken precautions to secure all the animals at the zoo as a result of the pandemic. Special precautions are being taken by all staff for all animals to prevent any health risks.
"The public is encouraged here to see the pandas and other attractions we have at the zoo," he said, adding that the cub would be on display in a special viewing enclosure twice a day.
Visitors were seen lining up to buy tickets to enter the zoo, with admittance granted to those fully vaccinated in line with the government's efforts to open up more sectors including recreational areas to the public since Oct. 1.
The parents of the third cub, Xing Xing and Liang Liang, arrived in Malaysia in 2014, marking the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China.
Coincidently, the third baby panda was born on May 31, which marked the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The date Oct. 1 of its debut also marked the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
The first Malaysian-born giant panda Nuan Nuan was born on Aug. 18, 2015, while the second Yi Yi was born on Jan. 14, 2018. Nuan Nuan returned to China in November 2017 after turning two years old.