Chinese President Xi Jinping said giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang will arrive at Zoo Atlanta “in a few days,” announcing the move during a Sept. 24 White House meeting with President Donald Trump; the zoo has not shared an exact transport date.
The announcement follows an April research agreement between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Ping Ping, a male, and Fu Shuang, a female, were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The zoo said it has been preparing facilities, including upgrades, with technical guidance from Chinese experts.
The new pandas will fill a gap left when Zoo Atlanta’s previous pandas, Lun Lun and Yang Yang, and their two youngest offspring returned to China in October 2024. The earlier agreement, in place from 1999 to 2024, supported 25 years of research collaboration and seven cubs born at the zoo, including two sets of twins.
