(L) Fu Shuang (R) Ping Ping (Courtesy of Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding)
ATLANTA – Two giant pandas landed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport early Sunday to mark the start of a new conservation era in Atlanta.
What we know:
A dedicated Boeing 777 aircraft carrying male Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang touched down at 6:51 a.m. Sunday.
FedEx donated the transportation for the bears, who arrived through an agreement between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
Zoo Atlanta is now one of three U.S. zoos with giant pandas and the only facility in the Southeast housing the species.
Both pandas were born in China at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in 2020.
Ping Ping was born March 17, 2020, and Fu Shuang was born Oct. 18, 2020.
The backstory:
Giant pandas were reclassified from endangered to vulnerable in 2016 by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Of nearly 1,900 giant pandas remaining in the wild, 72% live on protected nature reserves.
Zoo Atlanta began its initial panda conservation partnership in the 1990s with the Chengdu Research Base.
Chinese officials have established 67 reserves and created the Giant Panda National Park in 2021 to protect wild habitats.
By the numbers:
Zoo Atlanta’s previous 25-year panda agreement ran from 1999 to 2024. That partnership produced seven offspring born to original pair Lun Lun and Yang Yang between 2006 and 2016.
Lun Lun, Yang Yang and their two youngest offspring departed Atlanta for China in October 2024. All seven offspring now reside at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
What they’re saying:
Raymond B. King, Zoo Atlanta president and CEO, called the landing a historic moment for the city and state. He noted that guarding the species remains the most vital benefit of the international partnership.
Zoo leaders emphasized that the collaboration continues decades of information exchange focused on scientific research, public education and species care.
What we don’t know:
Zoo officials have not yet released the specific public opening date or details about the expanded habitat design.
The bears are currently in a biosecure area of the facility for a routine quarantine lasting about a month.
Officials also have not announced the official name of the pandas’ new home.
Further announcements regarding public viewing for members and guests will follow the quarantine period.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Zoo Atlanta, who released official details regarding the panda arrival and conservation agreement.