More than 200,000 visit Panda House until now; visitors keen to learn about them

NT Bureau

Doha: the number of visitors to the Panda House at Al Khor Park since its opening has reached about 200,000 from various countries of the world, Lulwa Al-Muhannadi, Head of the Panda House at the Public Parks Department at the Ministry of Municipality, has revealed.

In an interview with Al Raya Arabic newspaper, she said the average number of visitors to the Panda House per day was 800. The largest number recorded per day was 3,000 visitors.

She also said the number of visitors to the park during the 2022 World Cup reached 32,000 visitors.

She also revealed a plan to involve the pandas, Suhail and Soraya, in various activities and events taking place in the country. Among them are the camping season and the National Sports Day, noting their recent participation in five events, including a visit to Expo 2023 Doha.

Lulwa Al-Muhannadi also said visitors have a great passion to learn about pandas like their sleep, food, etc.

They also marvel at the cake that the pandas eat, and ask about its ingredients. “They are very attracted by the strange and exciting movements that ‘Suhail’ (one of the pandas) makes and the great interaction that he shows with visitors. His movement is characterized by laziness and at times by activity and excessive and exciting movements. He even performs some acrobatic movements that amaze the visitors, and shouts of admiration rise from them throughout the visit, she said.

As for Soraya, the second panda, she loves climbing and sitting on top of trees, which draws visitors’ attention to how she is able to stay on top of trees for a period of time of up to three or four continuous hours, and whether she is sleeping or eating.

There is an expert team to take care of the pandas, both their food and health. “Even the water they drink is examined. As is known, the panda feeds on bamboo plants, and since the nutritional value of bamboo is weak, the medical team makes a special type of cupcake for it to eat.

About 90% of the panda’s diet is bamboo, and they eat about 50 kilograms each day. “In addition to the cupcakes that we make in the Panda House kitchen, they also eat apples and carrots. However, we are careful that they do not gain weight due to excessive eating so that this does not affect their vitality and health,” Lulwa Al-Muhannadi said.