The city of Atlanta has welcomed two giant pandas from China, an event the zoo calls a historic moment for both the city and the region. The pair touched down Sunday morning aboard a specially assigned “FedEx Panda Express” Boeing 777 plane at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
A deal between the Chinese and American governments brought the two pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, to the United States. For roughly a month, they will stay apart from other animals in a protected zone inside the park’s new panda facility, where they can be watched over closely. After that time, visitors will be able to see them.
“This is a thrilling day for Zoo Atlanta and a historic moment for the City of Atlanta, the state of Georgia and beyond,” said Raymond B. King, the zoo’s president and CEO, in a statement on social media. “We are elated to welcome Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and could not be more excited about sharing that joy with our members, guests, city and community in the coming weeks.”
The flight from China
The dedicated aircraft carried the pandas from China to Atlanta. The zoo described the journey as a dedicated “FedEx Panda Express” Boeing 777 aircraft. Officials did not disclose further details about the flight itself.
The pandas were born in 2020 and were kept at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Ping Ping is the male, with dark black circles around his eyes, while Fu Shuang is the female and has a forehead that protrudes a bit, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The quarantine period
Before visitors can lay eyes on the pandas, they will need to wait a month. Officials at the zoo said the animals will spend that time isolated inside a biosecure part of the new giant panda complex at the wildlife park.
No official word on an exact opening date has come from park officials yet. The zoo has kept quiet on when the pandas will move into their permanent exhibit and begin welcoming visitors.
Xi Jinping’s announcement
During a three-day summit in Washington, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the loan of the pandas to President Trump. He said the pair would be sent to Zoo Atlanta, and that they would arrive in the coming days.
One of the few tangible results from the state visit was the pandas. Their announcement highlighted the diplomatic nature of the arrangement.
The history of the agreement
More than 25 years have passed since Zoo Atlanta entered into its giant panda agreement with China. The zoo bid farewell to its last pandas in 2024, which left it without pandas for a time.
The arrangement was made public in April, though no dates were given at the time. The loan is set to run for 10 years under the terms of the deal.
Why China loans pandas
The giant panda has served China’s diplomatic purposes for a long time now, deployed through loan arrangements as tokens of goodwill. When relations sour, those agreements are permitted to run their course rather than being renewed.
The arrangement with Zoo Atlanta fits that pattern.
“We are elated to welcome Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and could not be more excited about sharing that joy with our members, guests, city and community in the coming weeks.”
The current state of pandas in the US
At present, there are two zoos within the United States that house giant pandas. Both the National Zoo and the San Diego Zoo obtained their pandas from China in 2024, marking a shared origin for these two collections.
Since that year, two institutions have kept pandas on their grounds. Adding Zoo Atlanta brings the total number of US locations hosting these animals to three.
What the zoo said
The zoo’s statement focused on the excitement of the moment. King’s words reflected the joy of welcoming the pandas after a period without them.
“We are elated to welcome Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and could not be more excited about sharing that joy with our members, guests, city and community in the coming weeks,” he said.
The diplomatic context
A familiar pattern emerges with these loan arrangements: the bears are sent forth as tokens of goodwill, while loan agreements are permitted to expire whenever tensions surface between the parties involved.
Here is how the arrangement breaks down:
- Two adult pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, are on loan to Zoo Atlanta for 10 years.
- The animals were born in 2020 and were kept at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
- They arrived via a dedicated “FedEx Panda Express” Boeing 777 aircraft.
- They will be quarantined for about a month in a biosecure area of the wildlife park’s new giant panda complex.
- Park officials have not confirmed a specific opening date.
The bottom line
Ping Ping and Fu Shuang’s arrival at Zoo Atlanta marks a significant moment for both the city and the zoo. The dedicated flight, the quarantine period, and the diplomatic circumstances surrounding their journey all contribute to making this an event of note.
The pandas are settling into their new home.
See the video the story is built around at CBS News.
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