Visitors get to celebrate birthday with giant pandas at National Zoo on Aug 23

The National Zoo is inviting members of the public born on Aug 23 to celebrate their birthday with giant panda 'Xing Xing' and 'Liang Liang' at the zoo's Giant Panda Conservation Centre (GPCC) on that day.

National Zoo deputy president Rosly@Rahmat Ahmat Lana said it would be the first time that the zoo was organising a birthday celebration on a massive scale for visitors and that the programme would be made an annual event.

"The pandas are celebrating their 9th birthday on Aug 23, so we are inviting members of the public, regardless of age, but born on the same day to come to the zoo to celebrate their birthday free of charge.

"All they need to do is to show their MyKad at the payment counter in front of the National Zoo to obtain free entry ticket for that day," he said when contacted by Bernama Thursday.

Rosly said the visitors, besides getting free entry pass to enter the zoo and GPCC, would also be able to participate in the mass birthday celebration at GPCC.

The birthday bash is scheduled from 10 am to 1 pm, he said, adding that there would also be lucky draws, while special gifts would be given to visitors who celebrating their birthday on that day.

The zoo expect about 5,000 visitors on that day.

As for the pandas, he said, the zoo would prepare a special cake for them.

He said the zoo was also planning to celebrate the birthdays of other animals, like elephant, tapir, Orang Utan and tiger at the zoo.

"This is to be fair to the other animals. The concept will be the same, except that the visitors will only get free ticket to enter the zoo," he added.

Xing Xing and Liang Liang were born in Wolong, Si Chuan, China and were brought to Malaysia on May 21 as a gift to symbolise 40 years of diplomatic ties between China and Malaysia.

The GPCC, which will be Xing Xing and Liang Liang's home for the next 10 years, was opened by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last June 2