San Diego Zoo welcomes giant pandas

After a long flight from China, two pandas — 5-year-old male Yun Chuan and 4-year-old female Xin Bao — arrived at the San Diego Zoo on Thursday, ushering in a new"panda-monium" chapter.

As the first pandas to arrive in the United States in 21 years, they are part of a 10-year research and conservation agreement between San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, or SDZWA, and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, or CWCA.

The pandas were accompanied by nutritionists and veterinarians to ensure the pandas enjoy "carefully prepared fresh bamboo, bamboo shoots, fruit, vegetables and specially made steamed buns" during their flight.

Chinese experts will remain at the zoo for approximately three months to help the pandas during their quarantine and adjustment period, according to a statement from the China Conservation and Research Center.

Yun Chuan is the son of Zhen Zhen, who was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007.

The arrival of the new giant pandas at the zoo has ignited excitement and anticipation among visitors.

"It's awesome! They are so adorable, and I cannot wait to see them with my kids," Heather, a Los Angeles resident, told China Daily.

"Do pandas eat a lot of bamboo? I like the spots around their eyes. I will bring a gift for them," added Heather's 7-year-old daughter Emily.

Though San Diego Zoo has not hosted pandas since 2019, they are still on the minds of many people.

"We were super excited that they are coming back to the city," a San Diego resident told the media, adding that it was sad when the previous pandas left.

Conservation efforts

As part of new conservation efforts, more pandas will arrive at other US zoos, including a pair to Washington, DC, later this year.

A farewell ceremony took place in China on Wednesday for the US-bound pandas. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and SDZWA representatives attended the event in Sichuan province, the zoo said in a statement.

It will be several weeks before visitors can see Yun Chuan and Xin Bao. Once they have acclimatized to their new home and wildlife health and care teams deem them ready, the SDZWA will announce their debut date.

Paul Baribault, president and CEO of SDZWA, expressed his excitement about hosting the two giant pandas, saying that it highlights their collaboration with China on vital conservation efforts.

"Our partnership with CWCA has been crucial for giant panda conservation, and we're committed to working together to ensure the survival and thriving of this iconic species," he said.

San Diego Zoo was the first zoo in the US to have a cooperative panda conservation program. Megan Owen, vice-president of conservation science at SDZWA, who has been involved with the giant panda program for more than 25 years, emphasized the importance of collaboration between the two countries.

"I've had the great fortune of traveling to China many times to work with our colleagues in Chengdu, Wolong and other breeding centers," she told China Daily."Through these collaborations, we've developed a number of initiatives that have meaningfully contributed to giant panda preservation, and we've also developed strong friendships along the way."