12th, in China in the morning, Puhao, the giant panda who returned to China from Everland in April, was finally introduced to the public. News and social media immediately reported the news of his public appearance. Puhao opened a round iron gate at the Sichuan Sunflower Seedling Base that morning at 9:38 am (local time) and entered the outdoor enclosure.
On the live broadcast screen of the state-owned CCTV, Puhao marked his territory near the iron gate and showed a lively appearance by lying down on a platform, sitting on a rock, and exploring the enclosure by walking around. He also showcased an eating show by sticking his nose into the “bamboo shoot cake” placed on the platform and pulling out carrots to eat. Chinese caretakers welcomed Puhao by making bamboo shoot cakes using flowers and carrots. Compared to other overseas pandas, Puhao, who resumed public activities after about 2 months in China, is adapting quickly. Shin Shin from Japan, who was sensitive, was publicly shown to regular visitors in November of the same year after she came to China in February last year.
Puhao’s “home” at the Sunflower Seedling Base’s Panda Kindergarten No. 2 enclosure also received attention. This “suite room” at the Sunflower Seedling Base is about 300㎡ in size and is designed with a combination of trees, shrubs, and a small pond outdoors. A round iron gate on one side of the enclosure is connected to the indoor living space. Inside, under the care of caretakers, when he comes out of the room, he meets visitors to the base directly. The location of the enclosure is suitable for pandas as it is located at an altitude of 1700m.
The public event for Puhao was broadcast live online by local media such as state-owned Xinhua News Agency and CCTV. In the afternoon, 999 reserved general visitors visited the base to meet Puhao. From the 13th, the number of visitors will be increased to 12,000 per day.
On Chinese social media, there were posts flooding in with the phrase “Fudao (good fortune has arrived).” One Weibo account mentioned that many “aunties” (female fans of Puhao) had been waiting for Puhao and welcomed him. Various online forums are sharing detailed information on “how to see Puhao.”
The China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center explained the controversy surrounding Puhao’s treatment during the 2-month isolation and adaptation period at the Sunflower Seedling Base at a press conference the day before. Puhao’s caretaker Shu Shang explained, “Puhao likes to roll around and play, and he likes to rub his neck and buttocks on walls or railings, which can cause some difference in the color of fur in those areas.” He also said, “During the isolation period, I noticed the phenomenon of hair loss around the neck area, but the examination results did not clearly show any abnormal symptoms such as increased dandruff or rash, skin diseases, etc., and no related pathogens were found,” stating, “Overall, his health is good.” He added, “Pandas have sebum secreted from their fur, and frequent washing can cause hair loss and other diseases, so we don’t wash the pandas in the base frequently for this reason.”
Regarding the injury on Puhao’s head that looks like a wound, Shu Shang referred to it as a “beauty spot.” He explained, “The beauty spot was formed when Puhao was sitting in the position while going through cage (our) adaptation training, leaning against the cage handle and edges and falling asleep.” Wei Rung Ping, deputy in charge of the Wei Rung Ping Giant Panda Center, said, “Puhao is finding and eating the bamboo he likes the most since arriving in China.” The center operates a dedicated team for Puhao consisting of two caretakers, one nutritionist, and two veterinarians.
Since his return to China, there have been ongoing allegations of abuse towards Puhao. There were claims that Puhao was exposed to non-specialist hands for high-level receptions and that on the 31st of last month, Korean fans of Puhao posted an advertisement on a large billboard in Times Square, Manhattan, New York, protesting against the abuse.
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