Yuan Bao, the new baby panda at the Taipei Zoo, is meeting the public for the first time on Tuesday. The zoo held a banquet on Monday evening where Yuan Bao appeared to celebrate the beginning of her new public life.
Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je attended the banquet on Monday and said a total of 2,360 animals live at the Taipei Zoo. He was proud to say there are 341 different types of animals for visitors to enjoy there.
As for the zoo’s second panda born to parents Yuan Yuan and Tuan Tuan, Yuan Bao is 184 days old on Tuesday. The zoo said her muscles have grown stronger and she is able to climb up and down the stairs by herself. Since she is maturing and handling herself well, the zoo said it was time for her to begin life in the public.
The zoo did warn however that since she is still a baby, she sleeps about 70% of the time and doesn’t have a routine schedule. That means it is very possible visitors may find her sleeping when they come to see her. The zoo asked people to be try not to be too disappointed as this is part of a panda’s natural growth cycle.
Beginning Tuesday, the Taipei Zoo is selling 300,000 limited edition tickets to visit Yuan Bao. The public can also view Yuan Bao with her mother Yuan Yuan every day from 4pm-5pm on the zoo’s live stream.