On a significant day for Zoo Atlanta, two giant pandas from China reached the U.S. as part of a diplomatic agreement. According to the zoo’s confirmation on Sunday, the pandas, named Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, landed at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport via a specially designated ‘FedEx Panda Express’ Boeing 777.
Raymond B. King, President and CEO of Zoo Atlanta, expressed enthusiasm about the pandas’ arrival. In a statement on social media, he shared the excitement of welcoming Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, noting the historical significance for Atlanta, Georgia, and beyond. The zoo looks forward to sharing this joy with its community and visitors.
Visitors hoping to see the pandas immediately will need patience. Officials stated that Ping Ping and Fu Shuang would undergo a one-month quarantine in a biosecure section of the new giant panda complex. The exact opening date for public viewing remains undecided.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the panda loan during a visit to Washington for a summit with President Trump. The arrival of the pandas was one of the few tangible outcomes of the state visit. In a released image, vehicles transporting the pandas departed from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on September 26, 2026.
Zoo Atlanta’s association with giant panda agreements from China spans over 25 years. The zoo bid farewell to its last pandas in 2024, remaining without any until now. Although a new agreement was announced in April, it lacked specific timelines.
Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, both born in 2020, will be on loan for a decade. The male panda, Ping Ping, is recognized by his prominent black eye circles, while the female, Fu Shuang, has a slightly protruding forehead, as described by the Xinhua News Agency.
China employs pandas as diplomatic tools, often lending them as gestures of goodwill, allowing agreements to lapse when conflicts arise. Xi emphasized the loan program as a symbol of ‘friendship between the Chinese and Americans.’
Currently, two other U.S. zoos host pandas. The National Zoo and the San Diego Zoo both welcomed pandas from China in 2024.