ATLANTA — After nearly two years without giant pandas, Zoo Atlanta is preparing to welcome a new pair of bears back to Georgia.
During a news conference at the White House on Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping publicly confirmed that giant pandas will soon be arriving at Zoo Atlanta.
Calling the beloved animals “an envoy of friendship,” Xi said the pandas are expected to meet the American people in the coming days.
[PHOTOS: Zoo Atlanta’s pandas through the years]
The announcement comes as China and the United States highlighted their relationship during Xi’s state visit. Xi also described the panda exchange as good news for global conservation efforts.
While Channel 2 Action News previously reported in April that pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang would be headed to Atlanta, Thursday marked the first public confirmation from China that the bears are on their way.
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The move revives a relationship between Zoo Atlanta and China that spans more than 25 years.
Zoo Atlanta’s original giant panda agreement with China began in 1999 with the arrival of Yang Yang and Lun Lun. The pair quickly became two of the zoo’s most popular residents and helped make Atlanta one of the nation’s leading panda destinations.
From 2006 through 2016, Yang Yang and Lun Lun produced seven cubs, including two sets of twins. Their growing family attracted visitors from around the world and generated excitement with every new birth.
[PHOTOS: Zoo Atlanta baby panda turns 1 month old]
Yang Yang and Lun Lun, along with their two youngest cubs, returned to China in October 2024, ending Zoo Atlanta’s giant panda era and leaving the zoo without pandas for the first time in decades.
Now, that wait is nearly over.
Six-year-old Ping Ping and 5-year-old Fu Shuang are expected to arrive at Zoo Atlanta soon. Fu Shuang celebrates a birthday just weeks from now.
Zoo Atlanta has not confirmed an arrival date, but Xi indicated during his remarks that the pandas will arrive “in a few days.”
The arrival will mark the return of one of Atlanta’s most cherished zoo attractions and the continuation of a longstanding conservation partnership between the United States and China.
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