Last U.S. Zoo with Pandas Prepares to Say Goodbye as Pandas Head Back to China

Zoo Atlanta is making preparations to return panda parents Lun Lun and Yang Yang to China along with their American-born twins Ya Lun and Xi Lun. The transfer is expected to take place between October and December, with no specific date confirmed yet. Once the pandas leave, Zoo Atlanta will no longer house any giant pandas.

The Last Giant Pandas in the United States

The four pandas at Zoo Atlanta have been the last in the United States since the National Zoo in Washington returned three pandas to China in November. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, who were part of a research and breeding program, were sent back to China along with their American-born cub Xiao Qi Ji. The pandas were moved to the airport in trucks and boarded a special flight to Chengdu, China, carrying around 220 pounds of bamboo for their journey.

Return of Pandas to China

Other American zoos, including the Memphis Zoo and the San Diego Zoo, have also returned pandas to China as their loan agreements lapsed amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the two nations. Memphis returned its last surviving panda in April 2023, while San Diego returned its pandas in 2019 after more than three decades of housing them. Zoo Atlanta received Lun Lun and Yang Yang from China in 1999 as part of a 25-year loan agreement that is set to expire soon.

Possible Arrival of New Pandas

It is possible that the United States will welcome a new panda pair before the Atlanta bears depart. The San Diego Zoo has announced that staff members recently traveled to China to meet pandas Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, who could arrive in California as soon as this summer. Additionally, the San Francisco Zoo has signed a memorandum of understanding with the China Wildlife Conservation Association to bring pandas to the zoo, marking the first time pandas will reside at the San Francisco Zoo.

Future of Pandas at Zoo Atlanta

While there are just over 1,800 pandas left in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund, and breeding programs have increased their numbers, the panda's survival is still considered at severe risk. Zoo Atlanta officials have mentioned that they have not yet had discussions with partners in China about hosting any future pandas. They also stated that they should be able to share significant advance notice before their pandas leave.