SINGAPORE: A number of local media reports in Singapore highlighting the “up close and personal” interactions with two Giant Pandas who arrived in the city-state this fall have angered animal rights activists, who continue to call for the animals to be returned to their natural habitat. A report published by Asia.com has angered the activists, who told Bikyamasr.com that Singapore is “no place for pandas.” Their frustration and anger has been near constant since Singapore announced it would play host to two Giant Pandas from China earlier this year. The two pandas completed their quarantine period early last month and are being readied for display at a new enclosure in Singapore. But activists are not pleased. “We want all animals to not be in captivity and even more so these two pandas because they are not in their natural habitat," animal rights campaigner Teresa Cho told Bikyamasr.com on Thursday afternoon as she and fellow activists were gathering to plan potential demonstrations against the panda's remaining in Singapore. Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) on Thursday announced that the pandas successfully completed the one month quarantine on October 6 and would not be prepared for public viewing. The two pandas, five-year-old male Kai Kai and four-year-old Jia Jia – are expected to be the new stars in a brand new area of the Singapore Zoo. They will make their public debut in December. Singapore's government has also begun selling souvenirs, such as panda-inspired bags and toys. The panda pair, which are on a 10-year loan from the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) to Singapore, were initially meant to arrive in March, but their arrival was delayed because more changes had to be made to their $8.5 million enclosure. Director of CWCA Zhong Yi told members of the media in mid-August that representatives made a visit of the 1,225 square meter panda enclosure in June and found everything in order. Like their fellow animal rights activists in Malaysia, Singapore's growing animal advocate community has condemned the government's decision to accept a pair of pandas from China. The activists told Bikyamasr.com that the conditions in Singapore “are not appropriate for pandas and the move would cause unnecessary stress for the animals." Brihana Chow said that the government should not accept the animals, “as it is a symbol of cruelty and they won't have access to their natural, dryer and colder climate that they get in China." The anger comes after Malaysia also accepted two pandas in June as part of boosting diplomatic relations between the two countries, but animal rights activists said the government was unprepared to host the animals.
