A GIANT poster at the Singapore Zoo’s entrance announces the imminent arrival of two panda cubs from China.  Its gift shop is also stocked with plush toys of the endangered animal. The as-yet-unnamed pair – a male and a female – will be on loan to Singapore for 10 years. They will arrive in 2011 and will make their public debut after acclimatising. That will be in 2012, at about the same time as the opening of the $140 million river-themed animal attraction River Safari, where the VIP bears will be housed.

Source: ST

Taipei Zoo:  The giant panda is endemic only to mountain ranges in central China in Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Gansu provinces at elevations between 1,400 and 3,500 ft. The mean annual temperature at the giant panda’s natural habitat is 6-17 degrees C, annual rainfall over 1,000 mm, humid monsoon in summer, and chilly wetness in winter with snow season lasting as long as 4-5 months.

Can the Singapore Zoo provide such a habitat so that stress to the animals is minimal? It’s for 10 years, mind you. Even if the animals do not show any signs of distress, creeping stress could set in. I hope the chaps at ACRES will keep a close eye on the pair.

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