NewsWSVN 7 News MiamiNovember 6, 2026Miami-Dade County
Zoo Atlanta debuts new giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang following 2023 absence
Photo: WSVN 7 News Miami
Zoo Atlanta publicly debuted two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, who arrived from China in September under a 10-year loan agreement. The 6-year-old pandas are housed in the newly renovated Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove, marking the return of pandas to the zoo after a two-year gap.
Read the full story at WSVN 7 News MiamiWhy It Matters
The arrival restores panda exhibits at Zoo Atlanta following the departure of previous bears in 2024, re-establishing a multi-year animal loan partnership between the U.S. and China.
Key Facts
- Ping Ping (male) and Fu Shuang (female) made their public debut at Zoo Atlanta after arriving in September from China.
- The pandas are housed under a 10-year loan agreement in the newly renovated Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove.
- The 6-year-old pandas were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China.
- Zoo Atlanta's panda enclosure had been empty since 2024 when four previous pandas returned to China after a 25-year partnership.
- Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. Xie Feng spoke at a news conference marking the renewal of the bond between China and Zoo Atlanta.
- Zoo Atlanta is one of three U.S. zoos currently housing giant pandas, alongside the National Zoo in Washington and the San Diego Zoo.
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature reclassified giant pandas from endangered to vulnerable a decade ago due to growing wild numbers.
Who's Mentioned
OrganizationNational Zoo“Zoo in Washington that received new pandas”PersonKevin Wei“Georgia Tech student from Chengdu”locationUnited States“Country hosting the pandas”locationChina“Country of origin for the pandas and participant in the loan program”locationChengdu“Hometown of Kevin Wei and location of the panda breeding base”locationSacramento“Hometown of visitor Rachel Sutherland”OrganizationAssociated Press“Publisher of the news article”PersonXie Feng“Chinese ambassador to the U.S.”otherBao Li“Panda at the National Zoo”OrganizationInternational Union for Conservation of Nature“Organization that reclassified giant pandas”OrganizationArthur M. Blank Panda Grove“Newly renovated panda enclosure at Zoo Atlanta”PersonKim Herres“Atlanta resident who has visited the zoo since 1999”OrganizationSan Diego Zoo“Zoo that debuted two pandas in August 2024”OrganizationXinhua News Agency“News agency providing physical descriptions of the pandas”otherQing Bao“Panda at the National Zoo”PersonRachel Sutherland“Visitor from Sacramento, California”OrganizationChengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding“Birthplace of the two pandas in China”otherFu Shuang“Female giant panda on a 10-year loan”locationWashington“City hosting the National Zoo”OrganizationGeorgia Tech“University attended by student Kevin Wei”otherPing Ping“Male giant panda on a 10-year loan”OrganizationZoo Atlanta“Host zoo for the newly arrived pandas”