According to CCTV news reports, on September 27 local time, two giant pandas from China, 'Pingping' and 'Fushuang', arrived in Atlanta, USA. This event has become a focus of attention for local media.
According to CCTV News, Chinese veterinarians and breeders will be stationed at the zoo for three months to take care of the two giant pandas during their quarantine period. They will also help the pandas adapt to their new environment through stress adaptation and behavioral training.
On that day, two pandas were transported on a special ‘FedEx Panda Express’ Boeing 777 cargo plane, flying from Chengdu in China to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Afterward, they were taken to Atlanta Zoo under the escort of police.
On September 27th local time, two giant pandas arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. CBS News
According to a report released by the Atlanta Zoo on September 27, "Pingping" and "Fushuang" were born in 2020. They are male and female respectively. This trip to the United States is part of a new international cooperation project for giant panda conservation between the Atlanta Zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. The two pandas will live in Atlanta for 10 years. The zoo stated that after arriving, they will undergo about a month of quarantine and will not be seen by visitors for the time being.
According to a report by the American CBS Atlanta channel on September 28th, Atlanta has been waiting for the panda’s return for the past two years. The zoo is “very excited” about the response that will come from the community. Raymond King, the director and CEO of Atlanta Zoo, said that the panda allows people to “stop and experience joy and surprise,” and also reminds us that the desire to protect the planet is universal.
The local TV station WSB-TV reported on the same day that the return of the pandas has become a highly regarded urban event in the area. A tourist said that he brought his child to see the pandas over 20 years ago, and now he is happy that his granddaughter can also see them. Another tourist said that the pandas have always been an important part of the Atlanta Zoo. The zoo also regards the reappearance of the pandas as a form of "urban pride".
Reuters interviews with local people also show evident excitement. A tourist said outright, "I'm very excited," while another tourist said that he was able to take his family to see the pandas before the last batch left, and now he is looking forward to seeing the pandas again with his children.
American news website Axios' Atlanta edition referred to the two pandas on September 27 as China's "furry ambassadors," stating that pandas have long been one of China's most recognizable symbols. The media also pointed out that with years of strained relations between the United States and China, the return of pandas to Atlanta could be seen as a sign of an attempt by both sides to ease tensions.
Pingping and Fufu are currently quarantined in the biosecurity area of the giant panda enclosure at Atlanta Zoo. CBS News
Reuters noted that China has a global collection of giant pandas and provides pandas to overseas zoos through leasing arrangements. The two pandas will live in Atlanta for 10 years, which means that the Atlanta giant panda program will be restored after the last batch of pandas returns to China in 2024.
For Atlanta, the panda is not only a rare animal from China, but also carries the collective memories of local families over decades.
Atlanta Zoo is currently one of only three zoos in the United States that have giant pandas. The other two are the National Zoo in Washington D.C. and the San Diego Zoo. Currently, what people are looking forward to most is the official debut in a month—when "Pingping" and "Fushuang" truly enter the public eye, this long-lasting "panda fever" may continue to intensify.
