California Gov. Gavin Newsom has officially proclaimed “California Panda Day” in honor of two giant pandas at the San Diego Zoo who will make their first public appearance Thursday.
Yun Chuan and Xin Bao arrived at the San Diego Zoo earlier this year — the first panda bears to enter the U.S. in more than two decades.
They’ve been spending the last several weeks getting acclimated to their new surroundings but on Thursday, they’ll make their official debut.
Pandas were a longtime symbol of the San Diego Zoo, and Newsom’s office says the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance was the first organization in the country to “establish a cooperative panda conservation program.”
The successful conservation and breeding program at San Diego Zoo brought several more pandas into the world and helped secure a continuing future for the beloved “keystone species.”
Five-year-old Yun Chuan is actually the son of Zhen Zhen, a female panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007.
But the most recent pair of San Diego pandas, Bai Yun and her son Xiao Liwu, left the zoo in 2019 when the conservation program came to an end and returned to China as per the terms of their loan agreement. All of the world’s giant pandas are considered to be the property of the Chinese government.
San Diego Zoo wasn’t alone. In recent years, all U.S. zoos that hosted giant pandas have had to return them to China. Before the new pandas arrived at the San Diego Zoo, the only pandas left in the U.S. were at the Atlanta Zoo. However, those pandas are also scheduled to leave by the end of the year.
Softening tensions between the U.S. and China could bring the animals back to American zoos again as the two nations renew the “panda diplomacy” efforts they’ve enjoyed for decades.
“This conservation collaboration is part of California and China’s long history of working together towards shared goals,” Newsom said in his proclamation. “We hope that the newly arrived panda ‘envoys of friendship’ will lead to further exchanges and cooperation between California and China.”
Newsom traveled to China last year to discuss climate change, economic opportunity and see the country’s robust public transportation projects in action. The visit, Newsom said, helped build upon the “strong foundation of partnership and deep cultural and economic ties” between the two regions.
The governor encouraged Californians to make it a priority to see the pandas once they return to the public eye, although San Diego Zoo officials say visitors should be aware that their return will likely bring heavy traffic and large crowds, according to FOX 5/KUSI.
KTLA’s sister station in San Diego says there are three ways that zoo visitors can see the giant pandas when they make their debut, including standby tickets, timed return tickets and a 60-minute paid walking tour.
“Giant pandas are beloved around the world and their conservation story is an inspiring example of strong partnerships and innovative strategies to protect the world’s natural heritage,” Newsom said. “Take this unique opportunity to appreciate one of the most iconic wildlife species and recognize the important partnerships at work to help them thrive for generations to come.”
To read the governor’s full proclamation, click here.