Zoo caretaker Akmal Hadi recounts tearful reunion with cubs in China
KUALA LUMPUR: When it came to say good-bye to his “princess” at the Wolong China Giant Panda Garden in Sichuan, animal handler Akmal Hadi Samsuddin felt overwhelmed.
“I’m a man, I shouldn’t cry,” he told himself at the end of his visit to see Sheng Yi, whom he had cared for when she was born three years ago in Zoo Negara.
Akmal Hadi, 40, was the keeper for all the three pandas born in Malaysia: Nuan Nuan, which was born in 2015, Yi Yi in 2018, and Sheng Yi in 2021.
Nuan Nuan returned to China in 2017 while both Yi Yi and Sheng Yi went back last year.
When they left, Akmal Hadi had made a promise that he would visit them.
On April 25 this year, he kept his word and travelled to Nanjing’s Ziqing Lake Wildlife World to see Nuan Nuan, his first “princess”.
Initially, he had his doubts – would Nuan Nuan still remember her former caretaker?
“But when I met Nuan Nuan, I could see in its eyes we are still one family,” said Akmal Hadi, who took photos and videos of his princess during their reunion.
He even brought along Nuan Nuan’s favourite toy.
Two days later, he went to Sichuan to see his other princess – Sheng Yi.
When his not-so-little princess pushed a toy towards him, it was then that Akmal Hadi knew that Sheng Yi had recognised him despite not having seen him since last year.
“It was great to see them thriving in a nurturing environment, showered with care by fellow keepers,” he said.
Unfortunately, Akmal Hadi did not get a chance to see Yi Yi as she is not yet on public display in China due to the lack of a suitable exhibition area and plans to visit the country again in July.
Special bond: Akmal pictured with one of the parent pandas at their enclosure in Zoo Negara, Kuala Lumpur. — KAMARUL ARIFFIN/The Star
Akmal Hadi, whose recent visit to China has captured much public attention, has been approached by strangers with requests for photos with the man who looked after these adorable animals.
He has since played down such attention, saying that each panda is special to him.
In an interview last week, Akmal Hadi recalled the sadness he had felt when Nuan Nuan left for China in 2017.
But he was cheered up somewhat with the birth of another panda cub shortly after that.
Speaking fondly of the distinctive traits of each panda, Nuan Nuan, said Akmal Hadi, was like a lady with her well-mannered responses while Yi Yi was endearing.
Sheng Yi, he added, was the intrepid one with her tree-climbing stunts.
The parents of these pandas, Xing Xing (also known as Fu Wa) and Liang Liang (Feng Yi) who came to Malaysia in 2015 for a 10-year stay, have distinctive characters too.
“Fu Wa is the showman who loves basking in the limelight while Feng Yi is a picture of maternal grace and poise,” Akmal Hadi said.
All the pandas, he said, have a rigorous feeding schedule – six times daily at 7am, 9.30am, 11.30am, 2.30pm, 5pm and 9pm.
The pandas were initially offered 10 varieties of bamboo grown in Malaysia but the animals prefer buluh madu, buluh galah, buluh pagar, buluh betung, buluh botol and buluh Siam.
The thought of Fu Wa and Feng Yi returning to China when the loan expires now weighs heavily on Akmal Hadi who admits that “it would be tough to say goodbye to them”.
He commended the diplomatic ties between Malaysia and China which made the panda loan possible.
“It is a representation of the friendship between our nations. We’ve shouldered the duty to safeguard these pandas. From the moment they arrived, we’ve been devoted to their care,” he said.
Akmal Hadi, who was previously a caretaker for the birds before becoming a panda keeper, is thankful for the chance to look after these gentle giants.
“We are a team of six. The team members have carried out their work with much passion,” he said, adding that he travelled to Thailand, Singapore and China for specialised training.
“I am honoured to be a panda keeper.”
