Panda pair makes dubut in Taiwan

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-27-2009 09:40

The two pandas sent from the Chinese mainland as gifts for Taiwan made their first public appearance at Taipei Zoo on Monday the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan are displayed their new enclosure at the Taipei City Zoo in Muzha on Saturday January 24,  2009.(AP Photo/Guo Ru-hsiao/Pool)

Children in Taiwan, said, "They are fighting and playing with each other!"

"It just showed me its butt, so I could only see its back, not its face."

"It's very real. It's so different from what I've seen in books."

What kind of creatures make children go crazy like this? Dinosaurs? No! Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, are the pandas given as gifts from the mainland to Taipei Zoo.

More than a thousand visitors lined up at the zoo gates waiting for opening time this morning.

A man in a panda costume posed for photos with the visitors and entertained children.

As so many people wanted to see the pandas, zoo officials prepared number cards so the crowd would wait in order.

The two giant pandas captivated onlookers as they chewed bamboo, ate apples or rolled over logs laid out inside their glass house.

Ms Chang, From Central Taiwan, said, "Yes I am very happy, but it seems a bit rushed. We didn't have enough time as we were told to keep moving, and we had to keep walking. Anyway, I ran up to the second floor to see the pandas some more."

On Saturday, the pandas were greeted by a select group of VIPs including Taiwan leader, Ma Ying-jeou, and Kuomintang Honorary Chairman, Lien Chan.

The two pandas completed a month-long quarantine period after they arrived from Sichuan Province last month. Both are in good health.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei