Overview
- Reporters in Chengdu were given a first look at Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, two six-year-old giant pandas bound for Zoo Atlanta under a new 10-year conservation agreement.
- The pair will move to a mountainous base in southern China to prepare for an almost 8,000-mile flight to the U.S., with travel dates still unannounced.
- Keepers say Ping Ping often trails his handlers and eats lots of bamboo, while Fu Shuang plays more cautiously and loves finding hidden apple pieces.
- Zoo Atlanta said it is honored to renew research and conservation work with the China Wildlife Conservation Association after a successful 1999–2024 panda program that produced seven cubs.
- China retains ownership of loaned pandas and has revived U.S. transfers seen as goodwill gestures, including new arrivals in San Diego and Washington in 2024, with the Atlanta loan announced ahead of President Trump’s China visit.