Giant Panda Nuan Nuan is today celebrating its birthday with its parents in Malaysia, maybe for the last time before returning to China. The Malaysian National Zoo hosted a birthday party for her. CGTN's Rian Maelzer has more.

 

RIAN MAELZER KUALA LUMPUR Panda cub Nuan Nuan has proved a big draw to the custom-made airconditioned enclosure at Malaysia's national zoo since she was first unveiled to the public in 2015. And for this her last birthday with her mum Liang Liang and last in Malaysia too - staff laid out a bunch of special birthday treats.

 

There were no cake-cutting formalities here as first mum then baby tucked in. Father Xing Xing enjoyed treats too in his separate enclosure. Nuan Nuan was born barely a year after the parents arrived in Malaysia, the fastest natural conception and successful birth in captivity ever outside of china.

 

HUANG HUIKANG CHINESE AMBASSADOR TO MALAYSIA "I always refer to Xing Xing and Liang Liang as Chinese special envoys of friendship. And exactly they have made a lot of contribution to our friendship."

 

Preparations are underway for Nuan Nuan to leave for China since her Mother will soon reject her. DR. MAT NAIM RAMLI ZOO NEGARA MALAYSIA "So the first thing is to separate from the mother and now we do it partially. Day time, with the mother for three or four hours and we separate them, and night time isolate. And second one is we introduce Nuan Nuan to the box or crate that we will send her in to China."

 

The hope and expectation is that once Nuan Nuan leaves, her Mother will again soon show signs of fertility, and that she and Xing Xing will once again produce another giant panda cub. Rm, CGTN, Kuala Lumpur.