Photo gallery: Pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia arrive at Changi Airport
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Airside crew securing the cage holding Jia Jia who was loaded after Kai Kai on board the Singapore Airlines cargo plane at the tarmac of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Cargo Terminal. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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Mr Ang Cheng Chye Assistant Director(Left), River Safari- Zoology and right: Dr Serena Oh, Assistant Director, Veterinary Department taking pictures of Kai Kai who was loaded onto the Singapore Airlines cargo plane before Jia Jia at the tarmac of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Cargo Terminal. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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Airside workers preparing to load Jia Jia onto the hydraulic lift while Kai Kai is getting ready to be lifted into the cargo plane. Pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia depart from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Cargo Terminal at 4am. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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Dr Serena Oh, Assistant Director, Veterinary Department (left) and Mr Ang Cheng Chye Assistant Director, River Safari- Zoology (Centre) and Mr Huang Shan, keeper of the pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia wait for the boarding of the pandas at the tarmac of the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport cargo terminal. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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Mdm Wu Tianhong talking to a fellow keeper while behind her are cages holding Jia Jia (Left) and Kai Kai (Right) are waiting to be loaded onto the Singapore Airlines cargo plane at the tarmac of the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Cargo Terminal. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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Media and airside crew watch as airside crew prepare to close the nose hatch of the Singapore Airlines cargo plane at the tarmac of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Cargo Terminal. Pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia depart from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Cargo Terminal at 4am. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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With the arrival of pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia in two days' time, Singapore Zoo prepares to welcome its new residents on Sept 4, 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
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With the arrival of pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia in two days' time, Singapore Zoo prepares to welcome its new residents on Sept 4, 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
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Kai Kai and Jia Jia plush toys. To commemorate the arrival of Kai Kai and Jia Jia, some companies have created panda-inspired memorabilia to welcome the giant animals arriving on Sept 6, 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
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A preview of panda memorabilia that will eventually be on sale at the Singapore Zoo on Sept 4, 2012. The Panda countdown. As banners go up to toast the arrival of Jia Jia and Kai Kai on Thursday, companies are cranking out panda souvenirs. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
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Panda card holders. A preview of panda memorabilia that will eventually be on sale at the Singapore Zoo on Sept 4, 2012. As banners go up to toast the arrival of Jia Jia and Kai Kai on Thursday, companies are cranking out panda souvenirs. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
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The panda memorabilia that will eventually go on sale at the Singapore Zoo to celebrate China's giant panda couple Kai Kai and Jia Jia arrival in Singapore. The animals are on loan to Singapore from China for 10 years and will be housed in an enclosure at the new River Safari in Mandai. The safari officially opens in 2013 but visitors will be able to see the pandas from Dec 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
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The curious and playful Kai Kai taking a rest in his enclosure. The 5-year-old male panda is one of the 2 pandas bound for Singapore on Sept 6. He has been quarantined for a month where he was kept in an enclosure away from the other pandas and the area is out-of-bound to visitors to their panda base in Ya'an Bifeng gorge in the Sichuan province. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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Kai Kai, a five-year-old male panda, will be in Singapore along with four-year-old female Jia Jia on Sept 6, 2012. The pandas are on loan to Singapore from China. Before their flight, they were quarantined for a month and kept in an enclosure away from the other pandas at their base in Ya’an Bifeng gorge in Sichuan province. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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Kai Kai, a five-year-old male panda, will be in Singapore along with four-year-old female Jia Jia on Sept 6, 2012. The pandas are on loan to Singapore from China. Before their flight, they were quarantined for a month and kept in an enclosure away from the other pandas at their base in Ya’an Bifeng gorge in Sichuan province. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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Jia Jia, twists the stalks of bamboo shoots with her paws pulling out its leaves with her teeth. The 4-year-old female panda is one of the 2 pandas bound for Singapore on Sept 6, 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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According to her keeper, Mdm Wu Tianhong, Jia Jia has been not her usual self lately. "It's like she knows that she is about to leave this place," said Mdm Wu. She is rarely in this area where she is photographed but is usually playing in the trees behind her. The 4-year-old female panda is one of the 2 pandas bound for Singapore on Sept 6. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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According to her keeper, Mdm Wu Tianhong, Jia Jia has been not her usual self lately. "It's like she knows that she is about to leave this place," said Mdm Wu. She is rarely in this area where she is photographed but is usually playing in the trees behind her. The 4-year-old female panda is one of the 2 pandas bound for Singapore on Sept 6. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Airside crew securing the cage holding Jia Jia who was loaded after Kai Kai on board the Singapore Airlines cargo plane at the tarmac of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Cargo Terminal. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Mr Ang Cheng Chye Assistant Director(Left), River Safari- Zoology and right: Dr Serena Oh, Assistant Director, Veterinary Department taking pictures of Kai Kai who was loaded onto the Singapore Airlines cargo plane before Jia Jia at the tarmac of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Cargo Terminal. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Airside workers preparing to load Jia Jia onto the hydraulic lift while Kai Kai is getting ready to be lifted into the cargo plane. Pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia depart from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Cargo Terminal at 4am. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Dr Serena Oh, Assistant Director, Veterinary Department (left) and Mr Ang Cheng Chye Assistant Director, River Safari- Zoology (Centre) and Mr Huang Shan, keeper of the pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia wait for the boarding of the pandas at the tarmac of the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport cargo terminal. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Mdm Wu Tianhong talking to a fellow keeper while behind her are cages holding Jia Jia (Left) and Kai Kai (Right) are waiting to be loaded onto the Singapore Airlines cargo plane at the tarmac of the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Cargo Terminal. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Media and airside crew watch as airside crew prepare to close the nose hatch of the Singapore Airlines cargo plane at the tarmac of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Cargo Terminal. Pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia depart from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Cargo Terminal at 4am. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
With the arrival of pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia in two days' time, Singapore Zoo prepares to welcome its new residents on Sept 4, 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
With the arrival of pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia in two days' time, Singapore Zoo prepares to welcome its new residents on Sept 4, 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Kai Kai and Jia Jia plush toys. To commemorate the arrival of Kai Kai and Jia Jia, some companies have created panda-inspired memorabilia to welcome the giant animals arriving on Sept 6, 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
A preview of panda memorabilia that will eventually be on sale at the Singapore Zoo on Sept 4, 2012. The Panda countdown. As banners go up to toast the arrival of Jia Jia and Kai Kai on Thursday, companies are cranking out panda souvenirs. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Panda card holders. A preview of panda memorabilia that will eventually be on sale at the Singapore Zoo on Sept 4, 2012. As banners go up to toast the arrival of Jia Jia and Kai Kai on Thursday, companies are cranking out panda souvenirs. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The panda memorabilia that will eventually go on sale at the Singapore Zoo to celebrate China's giant panda couple Kai Kai and Jia Jia arrival in Singapore. The animals are on loan to Singapore from China for 10 years and will be housed in an enclosure at the new River Safari in Mandai. The safari officially opens in 2013 but visitors will be able to see the pandas from Dec 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The curious and playful Kai Kai taking a rest in his enclosure. The 5-year-old male panda is one of the 2 pandas bound for Singapore on Sept 6. He has been quarantined for a month where he was kept in an enclosure away from the other pandas and the area is out-of-bound to visitors to their panda base in Ya'an Bifeng gorge in the Sichuan province. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Kai Kai, a five-year-old male panda, will be in Singapore along with four-year-old female Jia Jia on Sept 6, 2012. The pandas are on loan to Singapore from China. Before their flight, they were quarantined for a month and kept in an enclosure away from the other pandas at their base in Ya’an Bifeng gorge in Sichuan province. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Kai Kai, a five-year-old male panda, will be in Singapore along with four-year-old female Jia Jia on Sept 6, 2012. The pandas are on loan to Singapore from China. Before their flight, they were quarantined for a month and kept in an enclosure away from the other pandas at their base in Ya’an Bifeng gorge in Sichuan province. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Jia Jia, twists the stalks of bamboo shoots with her paws pulling out its leaves with her teeth. The 4-year-old female panda is one of the 2 pandas bound for Singapore on Sept 6, 2012. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
According to her keeper, Mdm Wu Tianhong, Jia Jia has been not her usual self lately. "It's like she knows that she is about to leave this place," said Mdm Wu. She is rarely in this area where she is photographed but is usually playing in the trees behind her. The 4-year-old female panda is one of the 2 pandas bound for Singapore on Sept 6. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
According to her keeper, Mdm Wu Tianhong, Jia Jia has been not her usual self lately. "It's like she knows that she is about to leave this place," said Mdm Wu. She is rarely in this area where she is photographed but is usually playing in the trees behind her. The 4-year-old female panda is one of the 2 pandas bound for Singapore on Sept 6. -- ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
The giant pandas have landed.
Pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia arrived from China to much fanfare on Thursday morning before over 60 guests which included Mr Teo Ser Luck, Minister of State (Trade & Industry), chairman of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) Claire Chiang, and former President S.R. Nathan, chairman of CapitaLand Hope Foundation.
The pandas which were on board a chartered Singapore Airlines flight touched down at the Jet Quay CIP Terminal of the Changi Airport just after 8.20am.
About 30 minutes later, before the guests - which included government officials from MTI and corporate sponsors CapitaLand - two crates were lowered from the plane, and opened to unveil Kai Kai and Jia Jia.
