Indonesia's first giant panda cub Rio growing and healthy before his public debut

(15 May 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Cisarua, Indonesia - 15 May 2026 1. Mid of people in front of giant panda cub enclosing 2. Various of cub being examined by veterinarian 3. Various of cub playing with panda doll, 4. Close of giant panda cub enclosing 5. Various of media briefing 6. SOUNDBITE (Indonesian) Bongot Huaso Mulia, veterinarian: “What’s important to note is that once 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 in certain levels of noise. We will train him gradually.” 7. Various of cub and people taking pictures 8. SOUNDBITE (Indonesian) Aswin Sumampau, President Director of Indonesian Safari Park: “This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for, a small victory for us, as we’ve managed to breed a species that is extremely difficult to breed. Just imagine, for the past two years, no pandas were born at any conservation facility worldwide. For us in Taman Safari being able to do that is a top notch achievement not only nationally but also internationally.” 9. Various of cub 10. Various of female giant panda Hu Chun in her enclosing 11. Various of male giant panda Cai Tao in enclosing 12. Various exterior shots of giant panda house complex STORYLINE: The first giant panda born in Indonesia squirmed as veterinarians checked his hearing and eyesight and confirmed the furry cub was growing and healthy 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 Nov. 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 kilometers (43 miles) from the capital in Cisarua, West Java province. The two adult pandas have a large fan base in Indonesia. Rio’s birth has drawn many panda enthusiasts, and his public debut has been eagerly anticipated, with numerous requests on social media to see him soon. The three of them are living in a three-tier temple known as the Panda Palace on a hill surrounded by about 5,000 square meters of land (1.2 acres) and equipped with an elevator, sleeping area, medical facilities and indoor and outdoor play areas. Rio's name symbolizes the hope, resilience, and shared commitment of Indonesia and China in protecting endangered species. Pandas are China’s unofficial mascot and Beijing's loans of the animals to overseas zoos have long been seen as soft-power “panda diplomacy.” Giant pandas have difficulty breeding and births are particularly welcomed. There are less than 1,900 giant pandas in their only wild habitats in the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu. Rio was born through artificial insemination. AP video shot by: Fadlan Syam Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...