China Giant Pandas safely arrive at new Australian digs

ADELAIDE, Australia, Nov. 28 -- China Giant Pandas Wang Wang and Funi arrived at Australia's Adelaide airport on a chartered jumbo jet from China on Saturday. The pandas were welcomed at their new digs in the Adelaide Zoo after arriving in a climate-controlled semi-trailer escorted by police.

They will spend the next 30 days in quarantine in their specially built enclosure at the Zoo before going to the public on Dec. 13.

The CEO of Adelaide Zoo Dr. Chris West and the Cultural Councilor of Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Australia Ke Yasha with a crowd of about 100 local people greeted them at the Airport.

Ke said, "Nearly 400 Chinese people welcomed the arrival of the Giant Pandas in Chinatown despite the poor weather."

"Wang Wang and Funi will spend the next month in quarantine, ensconced inside the enclosure which includes some innovative features such as refrigerated rocks to ensure they can handle the heat of the summer."

A total of 175 Australian families planting bamboo will provide enough food for Wang Wang and Funi, he added.

It is expected the pandas will be released into the outdoor part of their enclosure early in the new year.

The pandas will spend 10 years in Australia, according to an agreement by the governments of the two countries.