San Diego Zoo to receive first panda pair to enter the US in 21 years

Giant panda Xin Bao Photo: WeChat account of China Wildlife Conservation Association

Panda pair Yun Chuan and Xin Bao departed on Wednesday from the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in Southwest China's Sichuan Province toward the San Diego Zoo in the US, where they will begin a 10-year residency to continue nearly 30 years of friendly cooperation between the two sides, the center announced.

Xin Bao, a female giant panda born on July 23, 2020, and Yun Chuan, a male giant panda born on July 28, 2019, will be the first pair to enter the US in 21 years, the Global Times learned from the San Diego Zoo.

In preparation for transporting the pandas and ensuring their safe arrival at the San Diego Zoo, the Chinese side conducted health examinations and evaluations on them and dispatched experts to provide technical guidance and inspection at the San Diego Zoo, the center noted in its announcement.

Five experienced keepers, veterinarians, and other experts were sent to accompany the giant pandas, and provisions such as steamed buns, bamboo shoots, carrots, water, and medicine were prepared to meet their needs during the journey, the center added.

"We believe that this new phase of China-US giant panda international conservation cooperation will yield significant progress in preventing and managing major panda diseases, scientific exchanges, and supporting giant panda conservation in the wild and the establishment of giant panda national parks, contributing to global biodiversity conservation and fostering friendship between Chinese and foreign peoples," the center stated.

A delegation from the US also visited China to welcome the pandas. A farewell ceremony was jointly held at the Sichuan center, honoring the two giant pandas embarking on their journey to the San Diego Zoo.

The San Diego Zoo has made extensive preparations to welcome the Chinese giant pandas, including venue renovations, establishment of two bamboo bases, formation of a team of experienced keepers and scientific management, and development of comprehensive feeding management systems and technical standards.

After the pandas safely arrive in San Diego, they will not be viewable to the public for several weeks while they acclimate to their new home. As soon as wildlife health and care teams confirm Yun Chuan and Xin Bao are ready to meet the public, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance will share a debut date and specific information about how to see the beloved pandas, the San Diego Zoo said in an email to the Global Times.

"We are incredibly excited to welcome Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to the San Diego Zoo," said Paul Baribault, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance President and CEO.

"This farewell celebrates their journey and underscores a collaboration between the US and China on vital conservation efforts. Our long-standing partnership with China Wildlife Conservation Association has been instrumental in advancing giant panda conservation, and we look forward to continuing our work together to ensure the survival and thriving of this iconic species," Baribault said.

San Diego Zoo was the first zoo in the US to establish a cooperative panda conservation program. Yun Chuan is the offspring of Zhen Zhen, born at San Diego Zoo in 2007.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the conservation partnership between San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. This collaboration has significantly advanced giant panda conservation, leading to the reclassification of the giant panda's status from endangered to vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2016.

"The efforts of the two sides include developing a giant panda milk formula and, with our partners, other neonatal conservation techniques that dramatically increased survival rates for nursery-reared cubs from less than 10 percent to over 90 percent, as well as advanced reproductive techniques and the contribution of valuable expertise to efforts led by Chinese scientists to track wild giant pandas at the Foping National Nature Reserve using GPS technology," stated the San Diego Zoo.

"The ongoing collaboration aims to further enhance the health and resilience of giant panda populations, especially the most vulnerable and isolated groups," the zoo added.

Although the conservation status of the giant panda is improving, there is still much work needed to ensure they remain on the path to recovery with healthy and flourishing populations. The conservation collaboration between San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and China Wildlife Conservation Association aims to improve giant panda population health and resilience in some of the smallest and most isolated populations vulnerable to extinction and loss of genetic diversity, according to the zoo.