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The panda pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo from China earlier this summer will make their eagerly awaited public debut on Thursday, August 8, the Zoo announced.
The two are the first pandas to enter the United States in 21 years.
“We are delighted to introduce Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to our San Diego Zoo community,” San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance President and CEO Paul Baribault said in a statement. “Our newest residents will bring joy to our visitors and symbolize the enduring spirit of international conservation efforts. Together with our partners, we continue to make significant strides in ensuring a hopeful future for this iconic species.”
Since arriving in late June, the pair has been acclimating to their home in the newly reimagined Panda Ridge. This innovative space is four times larger than the San Diego Zoo’s previous panda habitat and is inspired by famous geological formations in China, emulating mountains, canyons, and cliffs. It features new shade trees for climbing, a diverse array of plants, and rolling hillsides that allow Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to navigate and explore vertically.
Yun Chuan is an almost five-year-old male. His mother Zhen Zhen was born in 2007 and was the fourth cub born at the San Diego Zoo. He’s identifiable by his long, slightly pointed nose and seems to be extremely comfortable whether he is exploring on the grass or climbing trees.
Xin Bao is a nearly four-year-old female whose name means “precious treasure of prosperity and abundance.” She is best recognized by her large, round face and big, fluffy ears, and she enjoys sunbathing quietly and focusing on her favorite food.
San Diego Zoo staff worked closely with Chinese experts to cater to the dietary needs and preferences of the giant pandas. The teams provided a variety of fresh bamboo and even created a local adaptation of wowotou, a traditional Chinese bun also called “panda bread.” To help the pandas adjust to their new home, the teams conducted food adaptability exercises and weight monitoring sessions. Additionally, veterinary teams from both countries are keeping a close eye on the pandas’ health, tracking their weight, appetite and other health indicators daily to ensure they thrive in their new environment.
The Zoo is offering three ways for guests to experience giant pandas. On the day of their visit, visitors can either obtain a complimentary Giant Panda Timed Ticket or join the standby line.
Additionally, guests can make reservations for an exclusive 60-minute Early Morning with Pandas Walking Tour.
On June 26, a delegation of representatives from the United States, including leaders of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, joined dignitaries and conservation leaders in China at the China Conservation & Research Center for Giant Pandas in Sichuan province for a farewell ceremony honoring the two giant pandas coming to the San Diego Zoo.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the conservation partnership between San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and China Wildlife Conservation Association, the Zoo said in a press release.
The collaboration has greatly advanced giant panda conservation, leading to the downgrading of the giant panda’s status from Endangered to Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2016. The efforts 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. The ongoing collaboration aims to further enhance the health and resilience of giant panda populations, especially the most vulnerable and isolated groups.
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 release reads.
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.
More information about how to visit the pandas is available at sandiegozoo.org/giant-pandas.