Giant Pandas Leave China For New Home At Atlanta Zoo

Two giant pandas have departed China for the United States, beginning their journey to a new home at Zoo Atlanta as Beijing continues its long-standing practice of using panda exchanges to build international relationships.

The pandas left Chengdu in Sichuan province at 2:55 a.m. local time on Sunday, September 27, aboard a flight expected to take about 15 hours.

Their departure came shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a state visit to Washington, where he and US President Donald Trump agreed to extend a trade truce and establish an artificial intelligence hotline.

Pandas Begin Journey To Atlanta

Footage released by Chinese state media showed supporters gathering near the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base in Chengdu as the animals were transported in specially prepared crates to the waiting aircraft.

The pandas will undergo quarantine after arriving in Atlanta, with Chinese veterinarians and breeders staying on to support their care during the transition.

Zoo Atlanta and Chinese officials have also held discussions about upgrades to the pandas’ new facilities ahead of their arrival.

The animals are being sent to the United States under a loan arrangement with the Chinese government, continuing a tradition commonly referred to as “panda diplomacy”.

The arrival marks another chapter in the decades-long relationship between China and American zoos involving the conservation and study of the endangered species.