Beloved panda cub Le Le turned two years old on Aug. 14, 2023.

A birthday celebration was held for the star of Singapore's River Wonders, where he enjoyed a large bamboo cake and buffet of treats, such as sweet potato, grapes and peaches, which were placed on banana leaves and ice blocks.

Le Le also got to unbox some birthday presents containing more bamboo shoots.

Will have his own private den

Le Le now weighs 65kg, and is exhibiting signs of independence, such as resting and playing on his own and away from his mother, Jia Jia.

Le Le weighed only 200g — about the size of four chicken eggs — when he was born.

Here's a throwback to newborn Le Le. Look how much he's grown.

Giant pandas are solitary animals, and panda cubs become independent from 18 to 24 months of age.

As they become more comfortable alone, mother pandas will go through behavioural changes and will eventually reject their cubs — all part of the pandas' natural process of growth in the wild.

Le Le will thus inhabit a separate den from his mother at River Wonders.

The animal care team will be conditioning him to enter his new private den, which will "empower him to live apart from Jia Jia when the time comes", according to a Mandai Wildlife Group press release.

"Full separation from Jia Jia is expected to occur in the coming months," Mandai shared.

This process will be closely monitored by the panda care team.

Once the separation occurs, Le Le and Jia Jia will timeshare their exhibit at the Giant Panda Forest.

Members of the public will get to see Le Le from 10am to 2pm, and Jia Jia from 2pm to 6pm.

Top photo from Mandai Wildlife Group