San Diego Zoo, one of the most popular attractions in the United States, is preparing to receive a new pair of giant pandas from China, as a sign of renewed cooperation and goodwill between the two countries. The arrival of the pandas, expected by the end of summer, will mark the first time in five years that the zoo will host the endangered animals, after sending its last pandas back to China in 2019.
A Long History of Panda Diplomacy
The giant panda, known as China’s “national treasure”, has been a symbol of friendship and cultural exchange between China and the U.S. since 1972, when Beijing gifted two pandas to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., following the historic visit of President Richard Nixon to China. Since then, China has loaned pandas to several U.S. zoos, including San Diego, Atlanta, Memphis, and Washington, D.C., to help with conservation and breeding efforts.
The pandas have been a huge attraction for visitors, as well as a source of scientific research and education. According to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, the zoo’s conservation arm, the pandas have contributed to the understanding of panda behavior, reproduction, health, and genetics, as well as the conservation of their natural habitat in China.
A New Hope for U.S.-China Relations
However, in recent years, the panda diplomacy has faced challenges, as the relations between the U.S. and China have deteriorated over issues such as trade, human rights, and security. Several U.S. zoos have returned their pandas to China, either due to the expiration of their loan agreements, or the difficulty of obtaining bamboo and other supplies amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As of now, only four pandas remain in the U.S., all at the Zoo Atlanta, whose agreement will expire later this year.
The situation has sparked concerns among panda lovers, as well as unfounded rumors on Chinese social media that the U.S. zoos have mistreated the pandas. However, the hopes for the continuation of the panda diplomacy were revived in November, when President Joe Biden and President Xi Jinping met in Northern California for their first face-to-face summit in a year, and agreed to work together on areas of common interest, such as climate change, public health, and nuclear non-proliferation.
Following the meeting, China announced its intention to send a new pair of pandas to the San Diego Zoo, as a gesture of goodwill and friendship. The zoo officials told the Associated Press that they are very excited and hopeful about the prospect, and that they have been in close contact with their Chinese counterparts to finalize the details.
A Family Reunion for the Pandas
The new pandas, a male and a female, are expected to arrive by the end of summer, if all permits and other requirements are approved. The zoo officials said that China is considering a pair that includes a female descendant of Bai Yun and Gao Gao, two of the zoo’s former residents, who were among the most successful panda parents in captivity.
Bai Yun, who was born in captivity in China, lived at the San Diego Zoo for more than 20 years, and gave birth to six cubs there, including Hua Mei, the first panda cub born in the U.S. She and her youngest son, Xiao Liwu, were the zoo’s last pandas, and returned to China in 2019. Gao Gao, who was born in the wild in China, lived at the San Diego Zoo from 2003 to 2018, before being sent back. He was the father of five of Bai Yun’s cubs, and was known for his distinctive appearance and personality.
The zoo officials said that they are looking forward to welcoming the new pandas, and that they hope they will be as popular and productive as their predecessors. They also said that they are committed to supporting the conservation of the giant pandas, both in captivity and in the wild, in collaboration with their Chinese partners.
The giant panda, which was once on the brink of extinction, has seen its population increase from less than 1,000 in the 1970s to more than 1,800 today, thanks to decades of conservation efforts. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has changed the status of the panda from “endangered” to “vulnerable” in 2016, but warned that the species still faces threats from habitat loss, climate change, and poaching.
