Moscow residents choose name for giant panda cub born at city zoo

The giant panda cub, that was born at the Moscow Zoo, will have its name chosen by the residents of Moscow, as the baby panda turns 100 days old, according to Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, and Katyusha, a popular Russian name in China was currently in the lead, according to media reports.

There are 10 names for residents to choose from including Katyusha (a popular Russian name in China), Xiao Mo (short for Moscow), Mo Mo (short for Moscow as well) and Masha (one of the most popular Russian names in China). Residents are invited to choose one they like and vote for it on the mayor's portal, Tass reported.

Within 24 hours, more than 100,000 residents had participated in the vote to name the baby panda cub, with Katyusha currently in the lead, according to media reports.

The giant panda cub was born at the Moscow Zoo in August this year, making history as the first-ever panda cub born in Russia, according to the Chinese national giant panda conservation and research center. 

The cub's parents are Ruyi (male) and Dingding (female), who have attracted large crowds at the Moscow Zoo. The pair arrived in Moscow in 2019 when China and Russia celebrated the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral diplomatic relations. The panda family will spend 15 years at the Moscow Zoo, the People's Daily reported in March. 

Describing the birth of the cub as a significant event for Russia and the global panda loving community, Mayor Sobyanin expressed the gratitude toward the efforts of local experts and their Chinese colleagues. In a Telegram post, the mayor emphasized the uniqueness and rarity of this event, according to Xinhua News Agency in August.