Zoo Atlanta has announced its four giant pandas will leave the United States to return to China. Specifics on the panda’s departure timeline have yet to be released, however, they are set to return within the next week or two.
In a statement published earlier last month, the zoo broke the news that its loan agreement with the Chinese government will close. Before this announcement, Zoo Atlanta was seen as one of the last zoos in the country to house pandas.
“While Zoo Atlanta will certainly miss Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun, and Xi Lun, and their departure is bittersweet, they have created a momentous legacy here in Atlanta and around the world,” said Raymond B. King, President and CEO of Zoo Atlanta. “It has been our privilege to be able to share this remarkable family with our Members and guests for 25 years.”
Zoo Atlanta first received pandas in 1999 as part of a 25-year loan agreement. In the years since, the zoo has been home to nine other pandas all stemming from their first pair named Lun Lun and Yang Yang. This includes the four pandas that are set to return to China this month, despite being born in the United States.
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Giant Panda Conservation Center has been one of Zoo Atlanta’s hallmark exhibits since its opening in 1999. Zoo Atlanta claims that because of the exhibit, they’ve been able to provide over $17 million for the conservation of giant pandas in China. Most of those funds have been used to support eight different Chinese nature reserves.
The zoo’s panda departure is part of a larger trend seen throughout zoos across the United States. In mid-2023 the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee returned its panda, and later that same year three giant pandas were returned from the National Zoo in Washington D.C.
No announcements have been made about talks to extend the panda’s stay or introduce new pandas to the zoo. In fact, it could be a while until we hear any news about another panda deal in the United States.
Panda’s natural habitats are contained solely within Chinese borders, which allows the Chinese government to put in place a monopoly over the animals. Pandas have been seen as offerings of goodwill between China and its foreign partners around the world. Through a practice dating back to the 1940s, China has been known to use animals as a way to improve its public image and extend an olive branch to other countries. The practice is commonly referred to as “panda diplomacy.”
In more recent times, China has shifted away from outright gifting pandas. Instead, zoos across the world have organized loan agreements like the one Zoo Atlanta entered back in 1999. These agreements often have a set period until the pandas need to be returned, and include a yearly 1 million dollar per panda fee and an additional $400,000 fee for any cubs born throughout the agreement.
The date of the panda’s departure has not been announced, however, those wishing to see the exhibit before its closure are encouraged to book their trip sooner rather than later as it’s estimated they’ll only be here for another week. If you’re unable to visit the zoo in person, a 24-hour PandaCam is available from Zoo Atlanta’s website: www.zooatlanta.org/panda-cam.
