Pandas open to the public on June 27 - Zoo Negara

The long wait to see pandas in Malaysia is soon over.

Pandas (Ms) Feng Yi and (Mr) Fu Wa are scheduled for public-viewing on June 27, that's a week away, at the panda complex at Zoo Negara...location map. Zoo Negara, the National Zoo, is not far from the city, so you may want to include seeing pandas in your itinerary the next time you visit Kuala Lumpur.

Tickets to enter the specially-built Panda Complex are at RM20 for adults and RM10 for children aged between 3 and 12. Entrance tickets are available on the same day at the zoo’s website.

(Strangely, I made a call to the Zoo and the nice lady on the other end said they have yet to receive instructions/information about ticketing so she couldn't provide more than what she knows. But I did confirm that ticket to see the pandas at the Panda Complex is in addition to the regular Zoo entrance ticket.) Call it inflation, all categories of tickets have been increased from last year when I posted about it - by roughly RM5.00.

For your easy reference, here's the current Zoo Negara Entrance Fee schedule obtained from the Zoo Negara website:

According to Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly:

“We can accommodate only 3,500 visitors at the complex daily. We hope visitors will plan their visit as the zoo has about 12,000 visitors during weekends.”

Rosly said adjustments to the complex were made during the pandas’ one-month quarantine, which started on May 21.

“We adjusted the water pressure at a man-made waterfall in the complex as the pandas dislike loud noise.

“We are also increasing the maximum temperature from 24°C to 27°C based on the temperature at the pandas’ native home in China.”

“On June 21, a trial session will be held, where about 900 visitors comprising zoo staff and their family members will view the pandas before the opening day.”

Rosly said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak is expected to launch the complex on June 25.

“There will also be a celebration to commemorate the 40 years of diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China, as well as the zoo’s 50th anniversary, on the same day.”

The zoo will close at 3pm on that day instead of 5pm.


Source: NST

Bath Time is Fun Time

Animals are not having it any better in this heatwave. The Star took this picture of primates being hosed down by their keepers at the Malacca Zoo.

They are given more baths than usual to keep them hydrated in the current hot spell.

On a similar note, firemen are on the alert as heat wave threatens to worsen. There has been a number of fires of late. Many homes here are not insured. Home-owners would do well to seriously take some remedial action to rectify this, afterall free insurance quotes can be easily obtained.