Xi: Two Giant Pandas to Arrive at Zoo Atlanta Within Days

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced Thursday that two giant pandas from China will arrive at Zoo Atlanta in the coming days, marking the first public confirmation of the timing for the animals' transfer. The pandas, a male named Ping Ping and a female named Fu Shuang, are part of a conservation agreement between the zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Both were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. The announcement comes after Beijing reclaimed four pandas from Atlanta in 2024, leaving the U.S. without any of the animals for several months. Zoo Atlanta CEO Raymond B. King previously celebrated the return, calling it an honor to steward the species.