Hong Kong will soon welcome two new family members: a pair of giant pandas to Hong Kong in commemoration of the 27th anniversary of the city’s return to Chinese’s sovereignty. The giant pandas are expected to arrive in Hong Kong a few months later and will stay in the Ocean Park of Hong Kong.

 “Ocean Park is deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by the Central Government and the HKSAR Government to care for our national treasures,” said chairman Paulo Pong. “The arrival of the new giant pandas will not only enhance Hong Kong’s tourism appeal, but also expand the breadth and depth of Ocean Park’s conservation and education work.”

According to Hong Kong’s Ocean Park, there are around 1800 giant pandas remain in their natural habitat. The park is now the home for two giant pandas – Ying Ying and Le Le. They were gifted to Hong Kong by Beijing.

They are now aged 18 years, equivalent to 54 human years. This is not only a gift from the central government, but also a demonstration of its care and support for Hong Kong. 

The first pair of giant pandas - male panda An An and female Jia Jia - arrive in March 1999. Jia Jia died in 2016 at the age of 38, and An An was euthanized at the age of 35 – the equivalent of a human living till 105. 

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature, giant pandas in the wild can live between 14 to 20 years, while these in captivity can reach 30.