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After the birth of the first-ever locally-born giant pandas, another pair of giant pandas, which are national treasures, will soon arrive in Hong Kong as a gift from the Central Government. In support, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust today (24 September) is pleased to announce an approved donation of over HK$121 million to upgrade animal habitats within the “Giant Panda Adventure” and “Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures”. These will provide a high quality, safe, age-appropriate and more natural living habitat for giant pandas living in the Park, including snow features and landscape restoration. The donation will also support the expansion of the “Giant Panda Adventure” as well as educational programmes for students from underprivileged backgrounds, enabling them to visit the giant pandas at Ocean Park.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club is committed to promoting sustainable development, conserving local biodiversity, and educating the community about the importance of environmental and ecosystem protection. This is why the Club has been pleased to support Ocean Park from the very beginning, and in particular its environmental conservation and education programmes. Through the upgraded and expanded facilities at Ocean Park, as well as the accompanying programmes, it is hoped that the community, especially young people, learn to appreciate our natural environment and the amazing national treasures which are our giant pandas.

Opened in 1977, Ocean Park’s construction and initial operations were supported by the Club. In 1998, the Club’s Charities Trust funded the construction of the “Hong Kong Jockey Club Giant Panda Habitat” to house An An and Jia Jia, the two giant pandas given by the Central Government to mark the second anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. After renovation and expansion in 2012, it was renamed the “Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures” and subsequently served as the home for the giant pandas and two Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkeys, Le Le and Hu Hu, on loan from the Chengdu Zoo in Sichuan. The “Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures” is currently the home of two Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkeys Le Le and Qi Qi. The Club has also supported community projects organised by Ocean Park, including the “Jockey Club Ocean Park Education Programme” and the “Jockey Club Giant Panda Junior Volunteer Programme”, aimed at fostering awareness among students and the community about rare animal species, including national treasures like giant pandas. With this latest donation, the Club and its Charities Trust has approved a total of over HK$900 million in donations towards Ocean Park’s development and operations.

The Club’s support for Ocean Park, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities.