Sharjah24 - AFP: Indonesia’s first giant panda born in captivity is thriving and preparing for his highly anticipated public debut later this month.
The cub, named Satrio Wiratama, was born in November last year at Taman Safari Indonesia in Cisarua, West Java, to giant pandas loaned by China to Indonesia.
Zoo director Aswin Sumampau said many Indonesians previously travelled to China just to see baby pandas, but can now enjoy the experience locally.
Inside the specially designed panda enclosure, the 170-day-old cub — whose name means “brave and noble warrior” — was seen playing with a panda plush toy and chewing on a bamboo teether.
His parents, Hu Chun and Cai Tao, arrived in Indonesia in 2017 at the age of seven as part of China’s “panda diplomacy” programme marking 60 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Nicknamed Rio, the cub is reportedly the only panda born outside China in a zoo over the past three years.
Ahead of his official debut, Rio has already gained widespread attention on social media, with many fans expressing excitement about seeing him in person.
According to veterinarian Bongot Huaso Mulia, Rio now weighs more than 11 kilograms, remains highly active, and is still learning how to climb. He added that the cub is continuing to nurse and still has traces of reddish fur in his coat.
China has long used giant pandas, considered a national symbol, as part of its diplomatic outreach efforts worldwide.
Indonesia, unlike several Asian countries, says it has no maritime disputes with China in the South China Sea and does not contest ownership of reefs or islets in the region.
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