5 Panda Facts

More than just a symbol of conservation, the giant panda also signifies diplomacy between China and other countries. These gentle and clumsy bears are well-loved all over the world. Can’t get enough of pandas? Here are 5 panda facts that will melt your heart.

 

1. Pandas are actually omnivores

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Although bamboo shoots make up to 99% of their diet, pandas have been known to consume the occasional small animal and fish. It’s amazing how they’ve evolved from a carnivorous animal to almost exclusively eating bamboo shoots. Imagine eating the same food for most of your life – I’d get bored, wouldn’t you?

 

2. Pandas eat up to 12 to 38kg of bamboo shoots every day

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Zoo Negara reports that Xing Xing and Liang Liang themselves consume about 9–20kg of shoots every day. They spend about 12 to 16 hours a day eating. Despite eating so much bamboo, their gut is not equipped to digest these shoots as it doesn’t contain plant-degrading bacteria. It’s because of this, pandas defecate up to 40 times a day.

 

3. All pandas overseas are on loan from China

Panda on loan at Zoo Atlanta (Photo Credit: tripadvisor.com)

“Panda diplomacy” dates back to the Tang Dynasty, and is a symbol of diplomacy and friendly ties. Since 1984, China has begun loaning pandas to other nations for 1 million USD. Terms of the loan also include returning any panda cubs to China once they have matured. Based on 2014 figures, there are 49 pandas that live outside China in 18 different countries.

 

4. Female pandas are only fertile up to 3 days a year

It’s no wonder that Xing Xing and Liang Liang are such a conservation success story. Coupled with the fact that only 40% of male pandas exhibit sexual desire out of their natural habitat, it makes their story even more remarkable. If you want to catch a glimpse of the adorable panda cub in Zoo Negara, be sure to do it before it’s returned to China at 2 years old.

 

5.  Panda cubs weigh around 1/800th of their mother’s weight

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That’s approximately 100 grams! Compare this to a human baby which weighs 1/20th of their mother’s weight. Baby pandas also typically measure around 15cm – such small cubs for a giant bear. At 12 to 18 months, the cubs are ready to venture off on their own and fend for themselves.

 

Interested in visiting the giant pandas at Zoo Negara? Their viewing time is as follows:

Morning session – 11:00am–12:30pm

Afternoon session – 2:30pm-4:00pm

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Top 5 Reasons to Celebrate Your Birthday at Zoo Negara

Looking for a memorable way to celebrate your child’s birthday? Zoo Negara offers a unique and exciting birthday party experience for kids. It’s definitely unconventional, but it’s both fun and educational! If you’re feeling bold, host your party at the African Safari, or go to the lakeside if you prefer somewhere more tranquil. There’s even the cosy indoor amphitheatre and hall to choose from. Not convinced? Here’s five reasons that might change your mind.

1. Zoo Hunt

Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia

A great way to kickstart the birthday party is with a zoo hunt! Organised by Zoo Negara themselves, it’s a great way to explore the zoo, while keeping the children’s excitement level up. Watch them as they race around the zoo in search for clues, learning and having fun at the same time!

2. Games and Singalong 

Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia

Spread over 110 acres of land, there’s no shortage of space at Zoo Negara. If hunts and exploration aren’t your thing, you can conduct your own games and singalongs at the zoo. Nothing beats the classic games like musical chairs or pass the parcel. Prepare a playlist of your kid’s favourite songs and it’ll definitely be a hit! If you’re feeling peckish after all those activities, not to worry, the Wild Restaurant supplies kiddy food packages as well.

3. Animals!

Black & White Ruffed Lemur (Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia)

If your kid is an animal lover, they’re in for a real treat. There’s over 400 different animal species, including birds, fish, insects, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Let’s not forget the various plant species that contribute to the stunning landscape of the zoo. Besides discovering all that nature has to offer, they’ll also learn about the ongoing conservation efforts at the zoo. Not sure where to begin? Check out our guide for zoo exhibits you don’t want to miss!

The zoo also has a section called Children’s World dedicated to the little ones. Here, they’ll be able to pet the deer, goats, and miniature horses. Enter the mini cave and discover various artefacts that will spark your kid’s curiosity – you’ll be surprised at how much they can learn!

4. Live Shows and Feeding

Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia

Not only do you get to see the animals, you get to watch them in action too! There is no greater disappointment than going to see an animal, only to find them sleeping, or out of sight. Head down over to the animal show and they’ll be doing much more than just lying around. Animal shows are held daily at 11:00am and 3:00pm (3:30pm on Fridays).

Still hungry for more? Pay a visit to the Humboldt penguins at 11:00am and watch them dive for food during their feeding time. If that’s not enough, the Malaysian Elephants have a sweet tooth and they’ll definitely appreciate a sugarcane or two!

5. Special Photography Session

Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia

One thing’s for sure, a birthday celebrated at the zoo is going to be unforgettable. The cherry on top is a memento from the zoo. Zoo Negara’s gift to your child is a special photography session with tame animals like Spotty the Python and Megat the Hornbill. It’s a unique photo opportunity that regular visitors don’t get. A picture is worth a thousand words, after all.

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10 Exciting Exhibits at Zoo Negara

Tucked away in a corner, the National Zoo of Malaysia is an underrated attraction. With more than 15 exhibits housing over 500 species of animals, there is just so much to cover! Tour our guide of Zoo Negara’s highlights to avoid missing out on the top exhibits at the zoo. 

Reptile House

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Ever wanted to get up close and personal with reptiles? Now you can at Zoo Negara’s Reptile House! It’s home to the saltwater crocodile, the largest species of crocodile in the world. You’ll find them relaxing in their pool – lying so still, you may not even be able to differentiate them and a floating log.

If that’s not your thing, then just head over to the tortoises and terrapins instead. You won’t miss the Aldabran tortoise, the second largest in the world. And what’s a reptile house without snakes? Complete with both venomous and non-venomous snakes, now’s your chance to observe their mesmerising scales in a safe environment.

Ape Centre

Chimpanzee (Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia)

Surround yourself in the lush greenery of the ape centre and observe one of our closest relatives – the chimpanzee. Did you know that chimps have almost 98.8% of human DNA? If you spend time observing them, you’ll notice their human-like interactions with one another.

Not only that, you get to see two different species of orangutans, the Bornean and the Sumatran orangutans. The Ape Centre is also home to Katy and Manja, two retired performers from the animal show. Snap a photo and they might strike a pose for you!

Savannah Walk

Giraffes (Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia)

The Savannah Walk features an open concept and is the largest in the zoo, very much like the vast and open plains of Africa. Animals like giraffes, white rhinoceroses, Sable antelopes and zebras roam freely and find themselves at home in the Savannah Walk. You’ll also find that this exhibit lacks trees and shade, something to truly mimic the Savannah experience, so be sure to bring a cap or put on sunblock on extra sunny days.

Tunku Abdul Rahman Aquarium

Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia

Take a break from the outdoor exhibits and dive into one of the oldest public aquariums in Malaysia. Flow from the Upper Stream Zone to Mid Stream Zone, past the Wetlands Zone and finally, down to the Lower River Zone. Complete your experience with a visit to Peat Swamp Zone, Mangrove Zone and explore the depths of the ocean in the Marine Zone.

Learn all about aquatic flora and fauna, from the common, to the rare and endangered, including both sea and freshwater species. Observe these aquatic animals as they would behave in their natural environment, as these exhibits are landscaped to imitate their natural habitat.

Giant Panda Conservation Centre

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It’s easy to see why these giant pandas are the stars of the national zoo. With their gentle nature and slightly clumsy demeanor, Xing Xing and Liang Liang have captivated the hearts of the people. More than just a zoo exhibit, these pandas represent peace and China’s diplomatic relationship with Malaysia for the past 40 years.

If you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the fluffy panda cub. Born in January 2018, this is the second panda cub from the pair in three years, making it a world record for pandas in captivity. This is a rare conservation success story you don’t want to miss!

Butterfly Garden

Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia

Perhaps one of the more underrated exhibits at the zoo, the butterfly garden is filled with these magnificent and colourful pollinators. Observe them fluttering from flower to flower – you might even spot one drinking nectar! Bring a good camera and be very, very still to get some good close-up shots of these beauties. On top of that, Zoo Negara also has a Butterfly Project as part of their Nature Science Programme for Kids. Your kids will have fun and get exciting hands-on experience, it’ll definitely be more than they bargained for!

Bird Aviary

Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia

Tour the Bird Aviary to hear the melodic chirping of the birds’ symphony. From the majestic peacock to the endangered milky stork, you’ll get to observe birds that are hard to come by in the wild. Spot the colourful birds perched atop a tree branch and take in the beauty Mother Nature has offered us.

Bear Complex

Malayan Sun Bear (Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia)

Why should the pandas get all the spotlight? These bears deserve some love too! The Bear Complex holds three different bear species: the Malayan sun bear, the brown bear, and the Asiatic black bear. Watch them paddling in their little pool or just dozing under the sun. You can even pack your lunch and have a little picnic with these beary adorable creatures – just be sure to clean up after yourselves!

Mammal Kingdom

Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia

Nothing beats visiting the good ol’ mammals at the zoo. Home to the ferocious leopards and adorable slow loris, the Mammal Kingdom houses a myriad of mammal species. You’ll find the largest rodent species, the capybara, as well as Malayan porcupines and striped hyenas.

Malaysian Elephants

Photo Credit: Zoo Negara Malaysia

The Malaysian elephants Siti, Sibol, and Teriang are retired superstars from the elephant show. Originally form Pahang, these gentle creatures have been raised in the zoo since they were young. Brighten up their day by feeding this trio a sugarcane or a banana!

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Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

The Sulphur Crested Cockatoo (Cacatua galerita) is a relatively large white Cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia and New Guinea and some of the islands of Indonesia. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being considered pests. A highly intelligent bird, they are well known in aviculture, although they can be demanding pets.

Within Australia, Sulphur Crested Cockatoo of the nominate race have also been introduced to Perth, which is far outside the natural range. Outside Australia, they have been introduced to Singapore, where their numbers have been estimated to be between 500 and 2000. They have also been introduced to Palau and New Zealand. In New Zealand, the introduced populations may number less than 1000. This species has also been recorded as established in Hawaii and from various islands in Wallacea (e.g. Kai Islands and Ambon), but it is unclear if it has managed to become established there they are also native to Australia.

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Blue and Gold Macaw

The Blue and Yellow Macaw (Ara ararauna), also known as the Blue and Gold Macaw, is a large South American parrot with blue top parts and yellow under parts. It is a member of the large group of neotropical parrots known as Macaws. It inhabits forest (especially varzea, but also in open sections of terra firme or unflooded forest), woodland and savannah of tropical South America. They are popular in aviculture because of their striking color, ability to talk, ready availability in the marketplace, and close bonding to humans.

This species occurs in Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. The range extends slightly into Central America, where it is restricted to Panama. The species’ range formerly included Trinidad, but it became extinct there by 1970 as a result of human activities. Between 1999 and 2003, wild-caught blue-and-gold macaws were translocated from Guyana to Trinidad, in an attempt to re-establish the species in a protected area around Nariva swamp. A small breeding population descended from introduced birds is found in Puerto Rico, and another has inhabited Miami-Dade County, Florida, since the mid-1980s.

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Green Winged Macaw

The Red and Green Macaw (Ara chloropterus), also known as the Green Winged Macaw, is a large, mostly-red macaw of the Ara genus. This is the largest of the Ara genus, widespread in the forests and woodlands of northern and central South America. However, in common with other macaws, in recent years there has been a marked decline in its numbers due to habitat loss and illegal capture for the parrot trade.

The Green Winged Macaw can be readily distinguished from the Scarlet Macaw. While the breast of both birds are bright red, the upper-wing covert feathers of the Green Winged Macaw is mostly green but can occasionally sport a few yellow feathers above the band of green (as opposed to mostly yellow, or a strong mix of yellow and green in the Scarlet Macaw). In addition, the Green Winged Macaw has characteristic red lines around the eyes formed by rows of tiny feathers on the otherwise bare white skin patch; this is one of the biggest differences from a Scarlet Macaw to the casual viewer. Iridescent teal feathers are surrounded by red on the tail. If seen together, the Green Winged Macaw is clearly larger than the Scarlet Macaw as well.

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African Grey Parrot

The Grey Parrot (Psittacus erithacus), also known as the Congo Grey Parrot or African Grey Parrot, is an Old World Parrot in the family Psittacidae. The Timneh parrot (Psittacus timneh) was earlier treated as conspecific but has since been split as a full species.

The grey parrot is native to equatorial Africa, including Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. The species is found inside a range from Kenya to the eastern part of the Ivory Coast. Current estimates for the global population are uncertain and range from 0.63 to 13 million birds. Populations are decreasing worldwide. The species seems to favor dense forests, but can also be found at forest edges and in more open vegetation types (gallery and savanna forests).

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Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo

The Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri) also known as Leadbeater’s Cockatoo or Pink Cockatoo, is a medium-sized Cockatoo restricted to arid and semi-arid inland areas of Australia. It is here placed in its own monotypic genus Lophochroa, though to include it in Cacatua as others do is not wrong as long as the Corellas are also included there. They are also a type of Cockatoo.

With its soft-textured white and salmon-pink plumage and large, bright red and yellow crest, it is often described as the most beautiful of all Cockatoos. It is named in honour of Major Sir Thomas Mitchell, who wrote, “Few birds more enliven the monotonous hues of the Australian forest than this beautiful species whose pink-coloured wings and flowing crest might have embellished the air of a more voluptuous region.”

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Grey Crowned Crane

The Grey Crowned Crane (Balearica regulorum) is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It is found in eastern and southern Africa, and is the national bird of Uganda. This species and the black-crowned crane are the only cranes that can roost in trees, because of a long hind toe that can grasp branches. This trait is assumed to be an ancestral trait among the cranes, which has been lost in the other subfamily. Crowned cranes also lack a coiled trachea and have loose plumage compared to the other cranes.

It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. They can also be found in marshes, cultivated lands and grassy flatlands near rivers and lakes in Uganda and Kenya and as far south as South Africa. This animal does not have set migration patterns, and birds nearer the tropics are typically sedentary. Birds in more arid areas, particularly Namibia, make localised seasonal movements during drier periods.

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Scarlet Macaw

The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao) is a large red, yellow, and blue South American parrot, a member of a large group of Neotropical parrots called macaws. It is native to humid evergreen forests of tropical South America. Range extends from south-eastern Mexico to the Peruvian Amazon, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela and Brazil in lowlands up to 500 m (1,640 ft) (at least formerly) up to 1,000 m (3,281 ft).

It has suffered from local extinction through habitat destruction and capture for the parrot trade, but locally it remains fairly common. Formerly it ranged north to southern Tamaulipas. It can still be found on the island of Coiba. It is the national bird of Honduras.

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