Giant pandas are getting close to a return to Atlanta. Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that two pandas are expected to arrive at Zoo Atlanta “in a few days,” according to WSB-TV. Zoo Atlanta has not announced the animals’ exact arrival date.
The zoo announced in April that male Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang would become Atlanta’s next giant pandas under a new cooperative conservation agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Both were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China.
Pandas return after a two-year absence
Zoo Atlanta’s previous giant panda agreement ran from 1999 through 2024. During that partnership, original pair Lun Lun and Yang Yang produced seven offspring. Lun Lun, Yang Yang and their two youngest offspring, Ya Lun and Xi Lun, returned to China in October 2024.
The new agreement brings the species back to Atlanta after roughly two years without giant pandas. Zoo Atlanta said in its April announcement that it plans to share more information about Ping Ping and Fu Shuang as details become available.
For now, the biggest unanswered question is the exact arrival date. WSB-TV reported that Xi gave the “in a few days” timeline during a White House meeting Thursday, while Zoo Atlanta said it would not disclose the exact date.
Sources: Zoo Atlanta and WSB-TV.
