China to send giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang to Atlanta zoo
Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, bred in Sichuan, will travel to Zoo Atlanta under a 10-year giant panda protection cooperation agreement.
China will send a pair of giant pandas to the United States under a cooperation agreement on giant panda protection, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration has said.
The two animals, male Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang, were bred at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan province, in southwest China. They are to begin a 10-year conservation cooperation programme at Zoo Atlanta.
Ping Ping, born on March 17, 2020, is known for large, dark eye rims. The panda has a stocky build, moves nimbly and is a skilled tree climber that often rests on branches. Fu Shuang, born on October 18, 2020, has a small tuft of fluffy fur on its head and a full, protruding forehead. It has a round appearance, reacts quickly and forages well.
Zoo Atlanta's giant panda conservation partnership with China spans 25 years. The earlier phase began in 1999 with the arrival of Lun Lun and Yang Yang and ended in 2024. That collaboration produced five litters and seven cubs, described as the most successful international giant panda breeding programme involving Europe and the Americas. All nine pandas have since returned to the Chengdu base.
The new agreement is intended to deepen exchanges and cooperation in areas including feeding and breeding, disease prevention and control, scientific research, public education, and the conservation of wild populations and their habitats.