The debut and the growth figures
Shu Bao, the youngest member of Everland’s giant panda family, will meet visitors for the first time starting Friday at Panda World in the theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The Korea Herald reports. The cub is female and was born on June 3 to mother Ai Bao and father Le Bao, through natural conception.
According to data provided by Everland, she weighed just 171 grams at birth and now exceeds 9 kilograms. She is the fourth giant panda cub born in Korea, after her older sister Fu Bao and the twins Rui Bao and Hui Bao. The park did not indicate an exact date for the debut beyond the reference to Friday.
Preparation and visitor management
Before opening to the public, Shu Bao explored the empty outdoor enclosure with her mother to become familiar with the terrain and smells. Everland plans to gradually extend visiting hours and the number of visitors, prioritizing the animal’s health and adaptation.
Keeper Kang Cheol-won described the cub’s behavior: she depends on her mother, Ai Bao, but looks around and moves independently, gradually broadening her world. According to the keeper, she walks in small steps, plays with her mother and practices climbing trees. These are statements reported by the source, not data that can be independently verified.
The name Shu Bao, which according to the park means a shining treasure like the light of dawn, was chosen through a public contest held for her 100th day of life. The name received 42 percent of the approximately 220,000 votes cast online and offline.
The family and the transfer of the twins
Shu Bao’s public debut comes during a period of change for Everland’s panda family. The twins Rui Bao and Hui Bao will begin quarantine on November 13 ahead of their transfer to China, with their last public viewing at the park set for December 11.
Until that date, visitors will be able to see all five members of the family. The source does not specify the exact destination in China, the arrangements for the transfer or the timeline after quarantine. It therefore remains to be verified how the transfer will affect the composition of the group and the scheduling of visits in the following months.
