The first public exhibition of a giant panda cub born at a Tokyo zoo in 29 years will begin next month, with large numbers of visitors expected.
Born in June, the female cub "Xiang Xiang" is in good health, becoming the first baby panda to survive this long at the Ueno Zoological Gardens since "You You," born there in 1988, according to the zoo.
When You You was first displayed to the public on Dec. 24 1988, about half a year after its birth, the zoo was packed with around 12,000 visitors eager to get a glimpse of the male panda cub.
The number of visitors later increased further, reaching its peak the following month at about 70,000 on a single day.
Xiang Xiang has drawn more attention than You You, with the zoo constantly releasing videos and photos showing the baby panda's growth over the past five months, while such information was scarce back in the 1980s, said an official of the Ueno zoo.
"It's hard to project how many will come to see (Xiang Xiang)," the official said.
The zoo is planning to put Xiang Xiang on display on Tuesday, Dec. 19, avoiding weekends to prevent excessive congestion around the panda enclosure. The zoo's director Yutaka Fukuda said the final decision on the display will be made following the cub's six-month health check-ups.
The country -- and in particular Tokyo's Taito Ward, where the zoo is located -- celebrated the birth of the healthy female cub on June 12, about five years after her mother, Shin Shin, lost another cub within days of its birth.
Nearby businesses hope the baby panda will draw tourists and stimulate the local economy.
Source: ANNnewsCH
