See Giant Pandas in the US at Zoo Atlanta in 2024

Giant Pandas in the United States

The only four giant pandas living in the United States called Zoo Atlanta home when the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve January 2024.  China leases giant pandas on scientific loans to zoos across the world.  All Giant Pandas including any cubs that are birthed belong to China.  Zoos typically pay an annual fee to lease the pandas plus a bonus for any babies that are born.

History of Pandas in the US Began at the National Zoo

In 1972, the First Lady Patricia Nixon mentioned her “fondness for” the animals at a dinner in China to Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai.  As a sign of goodwill, the Chinese government gave two giant pandas to the United States.  President and Mrs. Nixon decided that the pair would live in Washington DC’s Smithsonian National Zoo, where the America public could visit them free of charge.  Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing moved into their new habitat in April 1972.  While they gave birth to 5 cubs, none of them lived beyond a handful of days. 

While the Smithsonian Zoo studied the pandas, people from around the world came to see the giant pandas.  The program symbolized friendship and collaboration between the US and China.  Ling-Ling passed away in 1992 and Hsing-Hsing died in 1999 from age related complications at 28 years old.  The Smithsonian National Zoo received a second pair of pandas on loan in 2000.  Mei Xiang and Tian Tian became the parents of a baby in 2005, who was returned to China in 2010.  They became parents again in 2013, 2015, and 2020.  In 2022, the National Zoo celebrated the 50th anniversary of Giant Pandas in the US and the partnership between the US and China. 

Pandas from the National Zoo Returned to China

Over the years, the agreement between the Smithsonian National Zoo and China was continually renewed.  When the most recent agreement came to an end in 2023, it was not renewed.  The Washington DC giant pandas returned to China.  They flew from Dulles airport on a plane decorated with custom artwork dubbed, the “FedEx Panda Express.”  

The Memphis Zoo returned their last panda bear to China in 2023 as well.  The San Diego Zoo’s panda exchange agreement expired in 2019 and their panda bears returned to China then.  The only Giant Pandas left in the United States live at Zoo Atlanta.  The Zoo’s current panda lease agreement expires this year.

Update

New giant pandas are coming to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC. Learn more about the new Giant Panda Program at the National Zoo. The San Diego Zoo issued a press release stating that the Zoo signed a cooperative agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Since then, San Diego Zoo officials have visited China to meet the specific Giant Pandas who will make California their home.

History of Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta

Giant Pandas made their debut at Zoo Atlanta in 1999.  The zoo spent $7 million preparing panda habitats prior to their arrival.  The 2-year-old mating pair, named Lun Lun and Yang Yang arrived via special delivery from UPS.  The company, which is headquartered in Atlanta, used a Boeing 767 called the “Panda Express” to fly the pandas from China to Atlanta.  The giant pandas arrived at Zoo Atlanta in two of UPS’s brown delivery trucks.   

Zoo Atlanta has paid over $16 million to the China’s panda conservation program since it became custodians of the Giant Pandas.  The loan agreement requires that any babies born to the pair were required to be returned to China by the age of five.  The pair has produced seven panda cubs.  The oldest five cubs all returned to China and live at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.  Due to Lun Lun’s advanced maternal age, Zoo Atlanta and their Chinese partners decided to stop reproductive initiatives. 

Atlanta’s Panda Cubs

Over the years, Lun Lun gave birth to seven babies at Zoo Atlanta. Panda babies are so tiny that they resemble a stick of butter at birth. They are completely helpless. Panda cubs require intense mothering to survive. Here is a list of the babies born to parents, Lun Lun and Yang Yang, at Zoo Atlanta:

• 2006 Mei Lan (male but originally thought to be female)
• 2008 Xi Lan (male)
• 2010 Po now known as A Bao (female)
• 2013 Mei Lun (female)
• 2013 Mei Huan (female)
• 2016 Ya Lun (female)
• 2016 Xi Lun (female)

Saying goodbye to Atlanta’s Pandas

Zoo Atlanta Officials expects to send the panda twins, Ya Lun and Xi Lun along with their parents, Lun Lun and Yang Yang, back to China in the fourth quarter of 2024.  The zoo announced in May that they applied for the pandas’ international travel permits. The panda loan agreement is set to expire at the end of 2024.  No discussions have taken place with China regarding the future of the Giant Panda program at Zoo Atlanta.

In the meantime, Zoo Atlanta is kicking off a Summer of Celebration on Saturday, June 1st, which will be free with general admission. The 25th anniversary of the successful Giant Panda program in Atlanta is absolutely a reason to celebrate!  While the exact timing of the bears departure is still unknown at this time, the Zoo will share travel details once this information is available.

Visit the Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta in 2024!

This year is the last opportunity to visit Giant Pandas in the US for the foreseeable future.  The Pandas live near the back of Zoo Atlanta in the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Giant Panda Conservation Center.  They have the opportunity to spend time in their outdoor habitat or their indoor air-conditioned space. 

Giant Pandas prefer cooler temperatures, so the winter is the perfect time to catch the bears in their outdoor habitat.  Once the temperatures reach 75 degrees or more, expect to see them in their air-conditioned indoor enclosure. 

You can purchase stuffed panda bears and other panda items at the Panda Pogoda shop inside Zoo Atlanta. When I was a child, my grandmother took me to see the giant panda that briefly visited the Columbus Zoo. A plush panda bear was waiting for me on my bed when I arrived at her house. I still remember how special it was to visit the pandas for the first time with my grandparents.

Get up close and personal with the Pandas

Zoo Atlanta has a couple of programs that allow you focus on the Pandas

Wild Encounter: Giant Panda

In this special experience, you will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes with the animal care team to learn all about how they take care of the Giant Pandas.

Panda Themed Family Nightcrawler

Gather up your family and spend the night at the zoo! You will send the evening learning about pandas and participating in panda themed activities. One of the big treats is watching the animals, including the pandas, through night vision scopes.

Keep up with the Giant Pandas at Zoo Atlanta

If you are not able to make it to Zoo Atlanta in person, then you are in luck.  Zoo Atlanta broadcasts the PandaCam, which continually streams the beautiful animals on the internet.

Zoo Atlanta published a page answering frequently asked questions about their pandas.  You can read more on the Zoo Atlanta website.

You can even shop the Panda Pagoda online!

Have you visited the Pandas at Zoo Atlanta or another zoo? Do you have plans to go? Let me know in the comments!

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