Two Giant Pandas Arrive at Zoo Atlanta Under U.S.-China Loan Agreement
China's Chengdu panda breeding center sent two adult giant pandas to Zoo Atlanta, where they will undergo a month-long quarantine before a future public debut.
Two adult giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, landed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Sunday and were transferred to Zoo Atlanta's new giant panda complex. The animals will spend roughly a month in a biosecure quarantine area before being made available to visitors, though a specific opening date has not been set.
The pandas are on a ten-year loan from China, a continuation of a diplomatic wildlife program that has been in place for more than 25 years. Both were born in 2020 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The loan was announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a summit in Washington and described as a sign of friendship between the two nations.
Zoo Atlanta president and CEO Raymond B. King said the arrival marks a historic moment for the city and the state, adding that the zoo looks forward to sharing the pandas with its members and the community in the coming weeks.