Weekly News Digest
産経オンライン英会話 ニュースディスカッション教材
The time to name Ueno Zoo’s twin panda cubs is fast approaching, and it’s a much bigger job than you might expect. The zoo announced on August 26 that they received 192,712 name suggestions from the public for the giant panda cubs born on June 23.
This time, the zoo received 188,720 name ideas for the twins via Internet submission and 3,992 via suggestion boxes placed at the park. This may seem a lot, but is actually fewer than when their older sister, Xiang Xiang was born four years ago, and the public provided 322,581 name suggestions.
A naming committee consisting of six members, including television personality Tetsuko Kuroyanagi and music critic Reiko Yukawa, have been appointed to narrow down options for the cubs. They will meet at the end of September, 2021.
Based on their recommendations, Tokyo will decide on the two names and announce them in mid-October.
According to the zoo, the twins are three months old and in good health. Measured on the 90-day anniversary of their birth, the female weighed 5.2 kg and the male 5 kg, both up markedly from their birth weights of 146 grams and 142 grams, respectively.
東京・上野動物園は２６日、６月に生まれたジャイアントパンダの双子の赤ちゃんの名前公募に、１９万２７１２件の応募があったと発表した。今後は選考委員会での検討を経て、１０月中旬にも命名する見通し。
園は今月７～２０日に名前を募集。応募の内訳はインターネットが１８万８７２０件、園内などの応募箱が３９９２件だった。４年前に誕生した姉のシャンシャンには、パンダの名前公募として最多の３２万２５８１件が集まったが、今回は及ばなかった。
選考委員には俳優の黒柳徹子さんや音楽評論家の湯川れい子さんら６人が就任した。選考委員会は９月末に開かれ、その後、都が名前を決めて発表する。
園によると、双子は生後２カ月となり、健康状態は良好。８月２４日の計測で、いずれも体重３キロを超えた。