Indonesia’s first panda cub is healthy ahead his public debut

The first giant panda born in Indonesia squirmed as veterinarians checked his hearing and eyesight and confirmed the furry cub was growing and healthy on Friday before his public debut later this month. Satrio Wiratama, nicknamed “Rio,” can walk on his own, climbs on his mother and has started eating bamboo shoots. He has grown to 10 kilograms (22 pounds) at 169 days old.

Veterinarians are monitoring his development to determine how well he might adapt to the crowds when he debuts at Indonesian Safari Park outside the capital, Jakarta. “What’s important to note is that all of Rio’s senses are active; he has the ability to understand the environment, assess the situation, adapt to more people, and hear sounds, even in certain levels of noise. We will train him gradually,” said Bongot Huaso Mulia, a veterinarian who monitors Rio’s progress.

His growth in some ways is faster than average, especially his teeth, according to Mulia. Rio was born on November 27 to his mother, Hu Chun, and a male panda, Cai Tao, who are both 15 years old. The pair arrived in Indonesia in 2017 on a 10-year conservation partnership with China. They live in an enclosure built for them at the park about 70 kilometres (43 miles) from the capital in Cisarua, West Java province. The two adult pandas have a large fan base in Indonesia.