Return of Giant Pandas to China from Zoo Atlanta in 2024

Zoo Atlanta prepares to send giant pandas back to China as agreement expires

Zoo Atlanta is making preparations to send its giant pandas back to China as the agreement with China is set to expire in 2024. The pandas – Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun, and Xi Lun – are expected to travel to China in the fourth quarter of the year, according to a press release from the zoo.

The process of returning the pandas, which are on loan from China, requires extensive planning and coordination. Zoo officials noted that they have applied for the pandas’ international travel permit and will work collaboratively with official partners in China to finalize the timing of the bears’ travel.

Once the pandas leave Zoo Atlanta, they will be the last remaining pandas in the U.S. Other zoos across the country, including ones in Memphis and Washington, D.C., have already returned their pandas to China. However, San Francisco is set to welcome a new pair of pandas next year, as announced by Mayor London Breed.

The exchange of pandas between China and the U.S. dates back to an agreement brokered by then-President Nixon in 1972. The pandas are loaned to U.S. zoos for research purposes and have become symbols of friendship between the two countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping has referred to the pandas as “envoys of friendship” during a meeting with business executives in San Francisco last November.

As the pandas prepare to return to China, Zoo Atlanta and other zoos across the U.S. are working to ensure a smooth transition for the beloved bears.