Giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang touch down in the US under new loan deal

Two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, have arrived in Atlanta to begin a new chapter at Zoo Atlanta. The duo, whose names translate to peace and double blessings, have been granted a 10-year stay in the United States under a conservation agreement signed in April between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

The pandas, who are protected species, embarked on their journey from Chengdu in China’s southwest province of Sichuan, following Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States.

Upon arrival, the pandas were greeted at Atlanta International Airport via a chartered flight, as reported by CCTV. The Chinese zookeepers and veterinarians had already traveled to the US to ensure the pandas were acclimated and settled into their new home. Reports indicate that Ping Ping, sporting large dark eye patches, was adept at climbing trees, while Fu Shuang, adorned with a tuft of white fur on her head, was known for her food-seeking habits.

The pandas are part of China’s long-standing "panda diplomacy" strategy, where they loan out pandas to other countries as a symbol of goodwill. Each loaned panda and any cubs born abroad must eventually return to China. Through these exchanges, China has seen the International Union for Conservation of Nature's classification of the giant panda species shift from endangered to vulnerable.

Ping Ping and Fu Shuang were both born at the Chengdu base in southwestern China. Ping Ping made her debut in March 2020, while Fu Shuang arrived seven months later. Following their arrival in Atlanta, the entire panda family is set to return to China’s Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

The new agreement with Zoo Atlanta presents an opportunity for the zoo to once again contribute significantly to the conservation of giant pandas. Pandas are currently loaned to other zoos, including San Diego Zoo and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C.