Two giant pandas settled into their new home at Shanghai Zoo on 15, April. Visitors will be able to see the two new residents on May 1.
The two male pandas, named Ya Er and Xing Er, both 2.5 years old, are cousins who were raised in Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
The younger of the two, was timid and sensitive to the new environment, at first refusing to enter their new home. Then the elder panda approached and comforted him.
The language barrier is one problem that they need to tackle in adapting to the new environment. For now, they can only follow instructions in the Sichuan dialect, which is their native tongue. They will not be able to respond to the breeders if they speak Mandarin or Shanghai dialect.
Their female twin predecessors, Shuang Xin and Shuang Xi, left Shanghai on Friday morning after a two-year stay. Giant pandas reaching breeding age must return to the Chengdu center for mating to help enlarge the population.