On 24 August, the Moscow Zoo immersed in an atmosphere of joy, with the first Russian-born giant panda, Katyusha, on her second birthday. This festive moment is not only an important milestone in the growth of Katyusha, but also a symbol of the remarkable achievements of China and Russia in the field of panda breeding and cultural exchange.
Katyusha was born on August 24, 2023, with the parents of the big panda “Dinding” and “Tinding” living in Russia. Since she was born, she has received the attention of the two peoples, with more than 380,000 Russians voting online to choose her Russian-style name “Kayusha”, a classic Russian song that she sings very highly in China and Russia.
The Moscow Zoo was carefully prepared for the second birthday of Katyusha. The garden built her a sweet house with bamboo and leaves, and a specially crafted birthday cake with bamboo as its main frame, with fresh fruits and ice, which is both compatible with panda eating habits and full of celebration. When Katyusha saw the cake, she was excited to be close, biting the bamboo, and playing with the fruits around, and the glamorous look of the tourists laughing.
This week, the Moscow Zoo held a rich series of events around Katyusha. Documentary screenings provide insight into panda life habits and the growth of Katyusha; in the manual classroom, children are actively involved in the production of a variety of handicrafts with pandas as the theme; and treasure hunts add a lot of fun to the zoo, with prizes associated with the pandas, and further draw attention to their protection.
Katyusha is expected to return to China after her fourth birthday. In the time of life in Russia, she became the “special messenger” of Russian-Chinese friendship by virtue of her lovely image and lively character, deepening the understanding and love of each other's cultures and deepening Russian-Chinese friendship.