China Bids a Fond Farewell to Panda Pair Heading to San Diego Zoo

The historic ceremony commemorating the departure of pandas Yun Chuan and Xin Bao was attended by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance President and CEO Paul Baribault, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, and U.S. and Chinese dignitaries. It included cultural performances, video salutations from Chinese and American students and a gift exchange among conservation partners.

The panda pair Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, the first to enter the United States in 21 years, will travel to the San Diego Zoo soon after the farewell ceremony. After the pandas have safely arrived in San Diego, they will not be viewable to the public for several weeks while they acclimate to their new home. As soon as wildlife health and care teams confirm Yun Chuan and Xin Bao are ready to meet the public, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance will share a debut date and specific information about how to see the beloved pandas.

"We are incredibly excited to welcome Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to the San Diego Zoo," said Baribault. "This farewell celebrates their journey and underscores a collaboration between the United States and China on vital conservation efforts. Our long-standing partnership with China Wildlife Conservation Association has been instrumental in advancing giant panda conservation, and we look forward to continuing our work together to ensure the survival and thriving of this iconic species." 

The multinational ceremony reflects the deep connections pandas have to San Diego Zoo, which was the first Zoo in the United States to have a cooperative panda conservation program. Yun Chuan, a nearly five-year-old male, is the son of Zhen Zhen, who was born at San Diego Zoo in 2007.

This year marks the 30^th 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 (IUCN) in 2016. The efforts include developing a giant panda milk formula and, with our partners, other neonatal conservation techniques that dramatically increased survival rates for 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.

Although the conservation status of the giant panda is improving, there is still much work needed to ensure they remain on the path to recovery with healthy and flourishing populations. The conservation collaboration between San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and China Wildlife Conservation Association aims to improve giant panda population health and resilience in some of the smallest and most isolated populations vulnerable to extinction and loss of genetic diversity.  

About San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, a nonprofit conservation leader, inspires passion for nature and collaboration for a healthier world. The Alliance supports innovative conservation science through global partnerships. Through wildlife care, science expertise and collaboration, more than 44 endangered species have been reintroduced to native habitats. Annually, the Alliance reaches over 1 billion people, in person at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and virtually in 150 countries through media channels, including San Diego Zoo Wildlife Explorers television programming in children's hospitals in 14 countries. Wildlife Allies—members, donors and guests—make success possible.

PRESS ROOM:  https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/PR/panda-farewell 

Link includes:

• Photo from farewell ceremony (left to right):
  • Megan Owen, Ph.D, vice president of conservation science, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
  • Paul Baribault, president and chief executive officer, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
  • Lu Yongbin, secretary, China Conservation & Research Center for Giant Pandas
  • Dr. Li Desheng, chief scientist and deputy director, China Conservation & Research Center for Giant Pandas
• Video interview with Megan Owen, Ph.D, vice president of conservation science, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

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SOURCE San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance