Giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang arrive in Atlanta

Two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, have arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport from Chengdu, China. The arrival is part of a new 10-year International Cooperative Research Agreement on Giant Panda Conservation between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

The male panda, Ping Ping, and female panda, Fu Shuang, both born in 2020, were transported via a dedicated FedEx Boeing 777. The logistics for the transfer involved months of preparation, including specialized training for the animals to become accustomed to their transport crates and coordination between veterinarians, zoo staff, and aviation personnel.

This arrival marks the return of giant pandas to Atlanta following the conclusion of a previous 25-year partnership in 2024. The pandas will undergo approximately one month of quarantine in a biosecure area before they are introduced to the public. Atlanta is now one of only three U.S. zoos currently housing giant pandas, alongside the San Diego Zoo and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C.