Singapore panda cub Le Le makes first appearance in main exhibit

Today is a bear-y big day.

Singapore’s first giant panda cub Le Le made his public debut on Thursday (Mar 10) in the Giant Panda Forest exhibit at Mandai River Wonders. 

This is the first time visitors can see Le Le, who is almost seven months old, roaming the exhibit freely with his mother, Jia Jia. 

Previously, Le Le met the public through the glass front of his nursery, where he spent most of his time. 

In anticipation of the panda cub’s exploration of his new habitat, the exhibit was baby proofed by the animal care team at River Wonders, with potential risks removed. For instance, the water area was drained and filled with leaves and pine bark chips. 

Visitors to the exhibit around 2pm on Mar 10 were out of luck, as Le Le was sleeping after having his lunch.

However, visitors who came earlier said Le Le was very active in the morning.

“He was quite cute,” said Bryan Choo, 24. “It was nice to see him enjoying himself.”

“Le Le even fell down a slope once”, said Alyson Cheah, 23. “His mom was very affectionate with him. She’d pick him up and cuddle him,” she added.

Le Le’s debut in the main exhibit was marked by the unveiling of his information board, officiated by Guest of Honour and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat. 

In celebration of Le Le’s new milestone, River Wonders is also organising panda-themed activities for visitors. The activities will be announced on Mandai Wildlife Reserves’ website in due time.