Rio, first baby panda born in Indonesia, draws crowds to Bogor zoo

Satrio "Rio" Wiratama, the first giant panda born in Indonesia, made his official public appearance on Saturday (June 20) at Taman Safari Bogor in West Java Province.

 Born to giant pandas Cai Tao and Hu Chun, who are both 15 years old, Rio drew massive crowds of enthusiastic visitors eager to catch a glimpse of the history-making cub, who was also the only giant panda cub born outside of China in the past three years.

Rio was born on November 27, 2025, through artificial insemination performed by Taman Safari Indonesia after several failed natural breeding attempt, and weighed approximately 200 grams at birth. 

Some visitors expressed hope that the pandas would join a rare group of species housed in the country's zoos, contributing to global giant panda conservation efforts and strengthening bilateral ties between China and Indonesia.

 "This is a protected species, so we're proud to be able to preserve this panda. It also serves as an educational opportunity for children, so they can learn more and see pandas firsthand," Tugas Wahyu Kristanto, a 36-year-old father said after his family saw Rio and his mother Hu Chun at their enclosure. 

-Production: Yuddy Cahya Budiman, Johan Purnomo, Heru Asprihanto/Reuters