Lest you’re not aware, Singapore is well-known for being creative when it comes to names.
I mean, where else can you find a country that names its COVID-19 lockdown as a “Circuit Breaker”?
But now, it seems like we might be running a tad out of creative juice.
First Panda Cub Born in S’pore is Named “Le Le”
Last month, Mandai Wildlife Reserve announced that they have narrowed down to five names for the public to vote on the name of the first panda cub that was born in Singapore.
They are Hóng Hóng, Lè Lè, Xīn Lè, Xīn Yáng and Xīn Yuán.
Given that its parents’ name are Jia Jia and Kai Kai, you’d think that the name would comprise two different Mandarin characters, right?
Well, then you’re in the minority, because Le Le comes in first.
The name was jointly unveiled at the 17th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation and Related Joint Steering Council Meetings earlier this afternoon (29 December) by Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat and Vice Premier of the People’s Republic of China Han Zheng.
The winning name “Le Le” emerged as a clear community favourite, amassing more than 31,000 votes out of the over 64,000 votes sent in by the public. The character “Le (叻)” comes from “Shi Le Po” (石叻坡), which was the ancient Chinese name for Singapore. This was in use since the island’s beginning as a trading port. Shi Le Po is a transliteration of the Malay term “selat” which means straits, indicative of Singapore’s geographical location.
And with the unveiling of the new name, you can finally see Le Le in his new home.
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You Can Now Visit Le Le
Starting tomorrow (30 December), guests to River Wonders can visit Le Le in his new glass-fronted nursery at the Giant Panda Forest.
Visitors might catch a glimpse of his daily routine which includes playing with specially created enrichment toys, learning to walk more confidently and catching up on lots of snooze time.
Viewing times are scheduled for around 10.30am and 3.30pm daily as these reflect Jia Jia and Le Le’s present routines. These viewing periods coincide with Jia Jia’s feeding and exercise sessions when she is comfortable to leave little Le Le on his own.
Each ”‘viewing window”, which ranges between 20-30 minutes, may vary depending on the comfort level of both mother and son, and will be reviewed and adjusted over the next few weeks.
Trisha Tay Ting Ni, the Animal Care Officer who leads the panda care team, said, “The nursery was constructed to provide a safe and fun space for Le Le to meet his guests for a part of his day before he returns to Jia Jia’s side for the rest of the time. At four-and-a-half months, he continues to be heavily reliant on mom’s milk and tender loving care.
“Both Le Le and Jia Jia are also still getting used to spending more time away from each other, so we adapt their daily routines based on close observation to ensure their wellbeing remains the top priority and that they do not display any stressful behaviours.”
For now, Le Le continues to curiously learn more about his surroundings and enjoy moments of independence, as he gets ready to greet visitors.
He has passed the 9kg mark and is starting to nibble on bamboo shoots and leaves.
If you’re still wondering whether it’s worth taking a day’s off to catch a glimpse of Le Le, these photos would definitely help:
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Featured Image: Mandai Wildlife Group