Two giant pandas arriving San Diego from China. This is the first time in over 20 years that new pandas will live in America. They started their journey with a big farewell in China. Many important people were there, including San Diego Zoo officials and Mayor Todd Gloria.
They all said goodbye as the pandas were put in special crates. These crates went on a truck to the airport. Mayor Gloria said he was very happy. He thinks having pandas again will help the zoo and show how good we are at helping animals.
Pandas On The Move
Yun Chuan and Xin Bao are the names of the two pandas. Yun Chuan is 4 years old and very friendly. He loves to run to his caretakers when he hears them coming. Xin Bao is 3 years old.
She is quieter but very smart. She listens carefully to all the sounds around her. The two pandas like each other a lot. They spend a lot of time together through a special tunnel.
Their journey to the U.S. is 7,000 miles long. They have to stay in their crates for the trip. This is new for them, so they had to practice a lot. Their caretakers from both China and the U.S. are traveling with them. They are bringing lots of tasty food like bamboo shoots, carrots, apples, and cornbread.
Yun Chuan is a bit picky with food. He might find it hard to like the new bamboo in the U.S. But the caretakers are sure he will get used to it soon. They know this because the San Diego Zoo has taken good care of pandas before.
Diplomatic Significance
The arrival of the pandas is big news for both the U.S. and China. These two countries are the biggest economies in the world. They have had some tough times because of disagreements over trade and technology. The pandas are a way to make things better.
Mayor Todd Gloria said, “It continues our long history of being really positive actors in the conservation of animals generally, but particularly endangered animals, like the pandas used to be.”
He also mentioned, “This is a wonderful way to engage our two countries in something that is undeniably positive.”
Last year, some pandas went back to China from the U.S. This made people worry that there might be no more pandas in America. But then, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited California. He hinted that more pandas might come to the U.S., especially to San Diego.
Right after his visit, San Diego Zoo officials flew to China to plan the pandas’ arrival. More pandas are expected to come to other U.S. zoos in places like Washington and San Francisco soon.
What’s Next For The Pandas
The pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, will not meet the public right away. They need some weeks to settle in their new home. The zoo will tell everyone the date they can come see the pandas later. The San Diego Zoo has made big changes to the panda area.
Megan Owen, who helps lead conservation at the zoo, said, “The panda habitat at the San Diego Zoo has been completely renovated. It has grown several times in size and had a great deal of complexity added to it.”
She explained that they added many new features like steep hillsides and lots of trees, which are like what pandas have in China.
The zoo is waiting for the pandas to tell them when they are ready to see people. They need to feel good in their new place first. This depends on how long they need to stay in quarantine when they arrive and if they need more time to like their new home.
