HONG KONG-BORN GIANT PANDA CUBS MEET PUBLIC UNDER MOTHER'S PATRONAGE

 HONG KONG, March 23 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Visitors to Ocean Park Hong Kong can see Hong Kong-born twin giant panda cubs together with their mother Ying Ying from Saturday, reported Xinhua.

Fans of the cubs had come for the moment of maternal affection two hours before the amusement park opened.

"Giant panda cubs grow up best nurtured by their mothers. They usually won't live independently until two to three years old," said Howard Chuk, head of zoological operations and conservation of Ocean Park Hong Kong. Tagging along their mother allows the cubs to learn sniffing and other skills humans can't teach.

In the venue, the male cub followed Ying Ying closely and coyly jollied for her attention until the mother kissed it and licked its tummy. The female cub also got a kiss-on-the-cheek from Ying Ying while resting on a wooden rack. After the cubs frolicked for some time, Ying Ying breastfed them.

The park said it would dole out around 3,000 entrance tickets for visitors to see the giant panda family from 10 am every day. On Saturday, all tickets had been distributed by noon. Visitors are allowed 3 minutes with the family in 40-strong groups.

 The two cubs, made their public debut on February 16 when they turned six months old, now weigh around 12 kilograms each. They are breastfed and bottle-fed.

The father Le Le now lives separately from the family because giant pandas are solitary animals, said the park. Male pandas don't take care of young offspring.

The two cubs' official names will be unveiled in the first half of the year, chosen from entries for a city-wide naming contest.  

-- BERNAMA-XINHUA