Seoul Grand Park to show red panda twins Maru and Marong from Oct 14
In short
Seoul Grand Park said on Oct 9 that it will put red panda twins Maru (마루) and Marong (마롱) on public display from Oct 14, describing them as the first red pandas it has successfully bred, a first for South Korea. The male and female cubs were born on June 19 to mother Lian (리안) and have recently begun going outdoors. Seoul Zoo director Yeo Yong-gu (여용구) asked visitors not to tap viewing windows, make loud noises or crowd close, saying this can stress the animals.
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Seoul Grand Park said on Oct 9 that it will show red panda twins, the brother and sister Maru (마루) and Marong (마롱), to the public from Oct 14. All five outlets reported that the twins are the first red pandas the park has bred successfully, a first in South Korea; Seoul Shinmun, Newsis and Kyunghyang Shinmun described it as the first natural breeding in the country. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
The twins were born on June 19 to mother Lian (리안). The park said they had grown up healthily and recently started outdoor activity, and that it had decided to show them earlier than originally planned. The cubs have received necessary vaccinations, and Seoul Shinmun reported that both now weigh more than 1 kg. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
The father, Rabi (라비), came to the park from Calgary Zoo in Canada and Lian from Tama Zoo in Japan, both in 2023. Newsis reported that Rabi arrived through the AZA Species Survival Plans and Lian through a KAZA-JAJA red panda conservation memorandum of understanding; Kyunghyang Shinmun said both came through endangered species conservation programmes. The names were chosen through a social media contest. According to the outlets, Marong expresses the wish for a bright character that embraces the world generously and warmly, like a full, rich chestnut, and Maru the hope that he will be a precious, foremost being who gives comfort and love to many people. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
The cubs follow their mother between indoor and outdoor areas, are learning to walk and to climb up and down trees, and go into the outdoor enclosure from time to time. Because red pandas are nocturnal and less active during the day, visitors may not be able to see the cubs; they are most active in the early morning or after 4 pm. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Keepers are giving the nursing mother nutritional food, according to Seoul Shinmun and Kyunghyang Shinmun, and have laid pine chips on the floor and installed modular play structures of different heights. Newsis reported that the keepers made the play structures themselves. Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun said the park will widen the scope of public viewing as it observes the cubs' health and behaviour. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
Seoul Zoo director Yeo Yong-gu (여용구) said the park plans voluntary entry and release (자율 입방사) to protect the health of red pandas, which are sensitive to noise. He asked visitors to observe viewing etiquette, saying that tapping on viewing windows, making loud noises and viewing at close range can cause the animals stress. He added that the park will keep working on the conservation and breeding of other endangered animals as well as the cubs. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Why it matters
The outlets report the twins as the first successful red panda breeding in South Korea, from parents brought in from zoos in Canada and Japan in 2023. The zoo director said the park will keep working on the conservation and breeding of other endangered animals. Visitors are told the nocturnal cubs may be hard to see during the day.
Key facts
- Seoul Grand Park will show red panda twins Maru and Marong to the public from Oct 14, it said on Oct 9. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The park described the twins as the first red pandas bred successfully in South Korea. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Maru is male and Marong is female; their names were chosen through a social media contest. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- The twins were born on June 19 to mother Lian. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- Father Rabi (라비) came from Calgary Zoo in Canada and mother Lian from Tama Zoo in Japan, both in 2023. [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 ]
- The park said it brought the public debut forward from its original plan after the cubs began outdoor activity. [ 2 , 5 ]
- Red pandas are nocturnal and are most active in the early morning or after 4 pm, so visitors may not see the cubs during the day. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Seoul Grand Park will display red panda twins Maru and Marong from Oct 14. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The twins are the first red pandas successfully bred in South Korea. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The twins were born on June 19. [ 2 , 3 , 5 ]
- The cubs have received necessary vaccinations. [ 2 , 6 ]
- The zoo director asked visitors not to tap viewing windows, make loud noises or view at close range, citing stress to the animals. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- Both cubs weigh more than 1 kg. Only Seoul Shinmun reports the weight.
- When and how far public viewing will be extended. Hankook Ilbo and Kyunghyang Shinmun say the park will expand the scope of viewing as it observes the cubs, but give no timetable.
- The original planned date for the debut. The park said the debut was brought forward from its original plan, but no outlet gives the earlier date.