Pandas are back in Atlanta. Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, two giant pandas born in China in 2020, landed at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday morning, Sept. 27, aboard a dedicated "FedEx Panda Express" Boeing 777.
A new agreement
The pair are here under a new International Cooperative Research Agreement on Giant Panda Conservation between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. That makes Zoo Atlanta one of three zoos in the U.S. to house giant pandas, and the only zoological organization in the Southeast the species will call home.
"This is a thrilling day for Zoo Atlanta and a historic moment for the City of Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and beyond," Zoo Atlanta President and CEO Raymond B. King said in a statement.
Meet the pair
Male Ping Ping was born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on March 17, 2020. Female Fu Shuang (pronounced Foo Shwong) was born there on Oct. 18, 2020. Ping Ping's name is part of a name given at birth to him and his twin brother, representing a blessing for a smooth and healthy life. Fu Shuang's name comes from "Fu Lu," a reference to her and her mother, and means "happiness."
What happens next
The pandas will live in a biosecure area of the zoo's new giant panda complex for a routine quarantine of around a month. Zoo Atlanta said it would announce details about the new habitat and when visitors can expect to see them, so watch the zoo's channels for dates.
Looking back
The zoo's original giant panda agreement with China began in 1999 and concluded in 2024, resulting in 25 years of partnership. Seven offspring were born to the pair Lun Lun and Yang Yang between 2006 and 2016. Lun Lun, Yang Yang and their two youngest offspring, Ya Lun and Xi Lun, left Atlanta for the Chengdu Research Base in October 2024; the pair's first five offspring also live there.
Reported by Rough Draft Atlanta. Photo courtesy of FedEx.
