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Two giant pandas, the first to enter the United States in 21 years, settle into the San Diego Zoo and can be seen by the public this week.
Starting on August 8, visitors at the San Diego Zoo can meet the two giant pandas that were recently introduced to the zoo’s redesigned Panda Ridge habitat. A 30-year partnership between the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the China Wildlife Conservation Association led to the arrival of 5-year-old male Yun Chuan and 4-year-old female Xin Bao — the first giant pandas to enter the United States in 21 years.
The San Diego Zoo has a history with the beloved species, starting in 1996 with the arrival of Bai Yun and Shi Shi from the Wolong Panda Preserve in China. They became parents to the first panda cub to survive in captivity in the United States. For decades, the zoo aided in research on conception and survival of giant panda cubs. The giant pandas raised in the zoo were eventually sent to China, and in April 2019, the last two pandas at the San Diego Zoo returned to China.
Giant pandas are a keystone species, making their conservation status vital to the survival of several other species that live around them. In the wild, giant pandas live in bamboo forests where they spend most of their time eating. According to One Earth, “One giant panda eats around 26 to 84 pounds of [bamboo] every day. This level of consumption helps prune the bamboo forest, which is one of the most important ecosystems on our planet.” In addition to pruning the forest, giant pandas spread seeds in their droppings and fur, helping forestal vegetation thrive and maintaining a healthy ecosystem for animals that coexist with them, such as golden monkeys and multicolored pheasants.
In 1990, the International Union for Conservation of Nature declared the pandas endangered when their population dwindled to 1,114 after extreme habitat loss from infrastructure development. In 2021, after decades of legally protecting and restoring habitat, the use of green corridors to connect isolated panda populations, patrolling against poaching, and other conservation techniques implemented in China, the status of giant pandas was moved from endangered to vulnerable. The panda population now sits at around 1,860, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
For three decades, the nonprofit San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has worked with conservation institutions in China to research the giant panda’s reproductive and nutritional needs. Their research led to the development of a giant panda milk formula and other neonatal care methods that improved survival rates for nursery-reared cubs from 5% to 95%.
“Our newest residents will bring joy to our visitors and symbolize the enduring spirit of international conservation efforts,” says Paul Baribault, president and CEO of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Together with our partners, we continue to make significant strides in ensuring a hopeful future for this iconic species.”
Enjoy the pandas: Visitors at the San Diego Zoo can choose from three different ways to experience the giant pandas, and now, anyone can enjoy Yun Chuan and Xin Bao with the zoo’s Panda Cam!
