Giant Pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang Arrive at Zoo Atlanta
Two giant pandas from China have arrived at Zoo Atlanta following a diplomatic agreement. Learn about the 10-year loan and upcoming public viewing plans.
POLICY WIRE — Atlanta, USA — A pair of giant pandas from China touched down in the United States on Sunday, marking the latest development in a bilateral agreement between the two nations. Zoo Atlanta confirmed the arrival of the animals, identified as Ping Ping and Fu Shuang.
The pandas were transported to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Sunday morning aboard a specialized Boeing 777 aircraft operated by FedEx, known as the Panda Express.
Raymond B. King, the president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the arrival. In a social media statement, he described the event as a thrilling day for the institution and a historic milestone for the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia, noting that the zoo looks forward to introducing the pair to the community.
Public access to the new arrivals will be delayed, as the pandas must undergo a mandatory one-month quarantine period within a biosecure section of the zoo’s panda habitat. Zoo officials have not yet established an official date for when the public will be able to view them.
The transfer follows an announcement made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a three-day summit in Washington with President Trump. The loan of these pandas served as a primary tangible result of the state visit.
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Zoo Atlanta has maintained a partnership with China regarding giant panda conservation for over 25 years. The facility had been without pandas since 2024, when its previous residents departed, though the new loan agreement was initially revealed in April.
Under the terms of the 10-year loan, the adult pandas will reside in Atlanta. Both animals were born in 2020 and previously housed at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. According to the Xinhua News Agency, the male, Ping Ping, is distinguished by dark black circles around his eyes, while the female, Fu Shuang, features a slightly protruding forehead.
China has historically utilized panda loans as a tool for global diplomacy, signaling goodwill through these programs. President Xi characterized the initiative as a symbol of friendship between the Chinese and American people.
With this arrival, Zoo Atlanta joins the National Zoo and the San Diego Zoo as the only U.S. locations currently hosting giant pandas, following the 2024 arrivals at those facilities.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
