Giant panda house in Beijing Zoo reopens after renovation

Meng Bao and Meng Yu play on the climbing frame. (Photo by Liu Boqian/For chinadaily.com.cn)

The giant panda house in Beijing Zoo reopened on Saturday after renovation, attracting many fans.

The facility closed from Oct 28 to Nov 1 to enhance the pandas' habitats for better behavioral enrichment, vital for their physical and mental health.

Popular panda Meng Lan can now enjoy a "luxury" habitat with new features such as a trampoline, space capsule, slide and water play area.

Opening day attracted large crowds eager to see Meng Lan explore his new surroundings. "I came on the first day of the reopening to see if the pandas enjoy their new surroundings," said a young visitor.

Meng Lan was seen climbing the slide and playing with his new hanging dice toy. "He is clearly enjoying the upgrade," said a fan on Xiaohongshu, a lifestyle app, noting how quickly he adapted to the new toys.

During the renovation, the zoo tailored designs to meet each panda's unique needs, including climbing structures and interactive play equipment. For the lively Meng Lan, the area now includes a larger bed, more toys, a taller climbing frame and a new slide for maximum play.

Enrichment is an ongoing process, and the zoo will continue to monitor and adjust the habitats based on the pandas' needs, said its management.