At 2:55 on September 27, 2026, the giant pandas "Pingping" and "Fushuang" took a charter flight from Chengdu Shuangliu Airport to the Atlanta Zoo, starting a ten-year sojourn. Before departure, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding held a farewell ceremony for the two giant pandas.
Giant panda "Ping Ping" is male and was born on March 17, 2020. He has large and thick black eye circles and is highly recognizable. It has a stocky body and flexible movements. It is especially good at climbing trees and often rests among the branches of trees. Giant panda "Fu Shuang" is a female born on October 18, 2020. She has a small patch of fluffy hair on her head and a full and slightly convex forehead. It has a round shape, sensitive response, and strong food search ability, and can quickly find the rich food hidden and arranged by the breeder.
In order to ensure the safety and comfort of transoceanic transportation, the Chinese team formulated a detailed transportation plan, prepared sufficient fresh bamboo shoots, bamboo, apples and emergency medicines, and conducted transportation adaptability training for the two giant pandas in advance to relieve stress. During the flight, the temperature and humidity in the cabin were maintained within the comfort range of giant pandas. Senior veterinarians and breeders from the United States randomly accompanied two giant pandas to the United States to observe their physical conditions in real time and take care of the giant pandas' health and diet. China has arranged for two groups of veterinarians and breeders to go to the zoo in advance to make various preparations. After arriving in Atlanta, the giant pandas "Pingping" and "Fushuang" will undergo quarantine. Chinese personnel will be stationed in the park to take care of the two giant pandas through the quarantine period, and carry out stress adaptation and behavioral training to help them adapt to the new environment as soon as possible.
In order to create a healthy and comfortable living environment for the giant pandas "Ping Ping" and "Fu Shuang", since December 2025, the Chinese expert team has held multiple online and offline meetings with Zoo Atlanta to conduct in-depth exchanges on the upgrade and renovation plan for the giant panda venues. Chinese experts provided technical guidance to the United States and clarified standard requirements for facilities and equipment, feeding and management, food security, and health care. The United States has actively adopted the guidance of Chinese experts and promoted the transformation work in an orderly manner. In mid-September, Chinese experts inspected the upgraded venues on site. After the renovation, the activity space in the indoor exhibition area has been significantly expanded, and enrichment facilities such as perches, stone platforms, and pools have been added to provide giant pandas with more options for exploration and rest. At the same time, the monitoring system has been upgraded to more comprehensively grasp the real-time conditions of indoor and outdoor venues. In terms of food supply, thanks to similar climate conditions to Chengdu, the zoo can obtain a variety of edible bamboos nearby, which are harvested fresh throughout the year, fully meeting the needs of the two giant pandas.
China and Zoo Atlanta have been conducting cooperative research on giant panda conservation for more than 20 years and have achieved a series of important results. The two parties have jointly implemented more than 30 special scientific research projects, published more than 50 academic papers, and achieved many technological breakthroughs in the fields of giant panda breeding, behavioral research, and disease prevention and control. During the cooperation period, a total of 5 giant panda litters and 7 cubs were bred alive, which is the best result of the international giant panda breeding cooperation between China and Europe and the United States. The two sides have conducted in-depth academic and cultural exchanges and continued to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.
