Yun Chuan (yoon chu-an) and Xin Bao (sing bao), the first pandas to enter the United States in 21 years, made their public debut at the San Diego Zoo following an opening ceremony for the Zoo’s much-anticipated new Panda Ridge habitat.
Yun Chuan is a five-year-old male, identifiable by his long, slightly pointed nose. His mother, Zhen Zhen (jen jen), was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007. Xin Bao is a four-year-old female, best recognized by her large, round face and big, fluffy ears.
Take your grandkids on a vacation
Since arriving in late June, the pair have been acclimating to their new home in the reimagined Panda Ridge. Four times larger than the previous panda habitat, the newly refreshed and expanded Panda Ridge takes inspiration from the breathtaking, lush landscapes in and around giant pandas’ native habitats in Sichuan, Gansu and Shaanxi provinces in China.
An original portrait commemorating the significance of giant pandas coming to San Diego was created by California-based artist Shepard Fairey, best known for creating former President Barack Obama’s iconic “Hope” campaign poster in 2008, and unveiled at the event. Titled “Friendship Across the Earth,” the portrait features Bai Yun—the beloved panda who lived at the San Diego Zoo for more than 20 years—with the words Majesty, Respect and Conservation alongside graphic representations, the globe and patterns of bamboo and flowers. Bai Yun was selected to celebrate the importance of her legacy to giant panda conservation and represent a bridge to the next generation.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the conservation partnership between San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and China Wildlife Conservation Association. The collaboration has greatly advanced giant panda conservation, leading to the downgrading of the giant panda’s status from Endangered to Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2016. The efforts include developing a giant panda milk formula and other neonatal conservation techniques that dramatically increased the survival of nursery-reared cubs from less than 10% to over 90%, as well as advanced reproductive techniques and the contribution of valuable expertise to efforts led by Chinese scientists to track wild giant pandas at the Foping National Nature Reserve using GPS technology. The ongoing collaboration aims to further enhance the health and resilience of giant panda populations, especially the most vulnerable and isolated groups.
Take your grandkids on a vacation
Starting today, there are three ways to experience giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo. Visitors can obtain a complimentary Giant Panda Timed Ticket upon their arrival at the Zoo to skip the wait, join the standby line at Panda Ridge, or make reservations for an exclusive, Early Morning with Pandas walking tour. Advance reservations are currently being accepted for the walking tour. More information about Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, as well as how to experience them, is available at sdzwa.org/giantpandas.
