Grant Park is officially back in the panda business. Zoo Atlanta announced Thursday that it will once again host giant pandas, confirming it has secured a new black-and-white duo: Ping Ping (male) and Fu Shuang (female). The bears mark Atlanta’s return to the panda program after its last pandas were shipped back to China in 2024. Zoo officials have not yet given a date for when the newcomers will actually touch down in town.
The zoo’s announcement identified the pandas by name and noted that both were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, according to Atlanta News First. The outlet reports that Ping Ping and Fu Shuang will be the first giant pandas at Zoo Atlanta since 2024 and adds that the zoo “did not say when the pair would arrive.”
Where They Came From and the Zoo's History
Both Ping Ping and Fu Shuang hail from the Chengdu Research Base, continuing a conservation pipeline that has connected Atlanta to Chinese panda programs for decades. Zoo Atlanta notes that Lun Lun and Yang Yang arrived in 1999 and went on to produce seven offspring during their stay. The zoo’s four remaining giant pandas departed for China on October 12, 2024, per a Zoo Atlanta press release. For a look back at that sendoff, see the final farewell to giant pandas.
How This Fits Into a Wider Comeback
The zoo said it began formal talks with partners in China in February 2025, a step toward a new loan agreement that would allow pandas to return to Atlanta, as reported by Axios. The Atlanta announcement tracks with a broader reopening of panda loans to U.S. zoos in recent months and follows other recent panda arrivals and negotiations elsewhere. Officials are still cautioning that a formal agreement and a detailed timeline are not finalized, with both sides continuing to work out the terms.
What Visitors Should Expect
Behind the scenes, Zoo Atlanta has already started preliminary design work on upgrades to its Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Giant Panda Conservation Center as part of preparations to host the new animals, according to earlier zoo communications. The return of giant pandas is widely expected to spike demand for memberships and special programming, but the zoo has not yet rolled out any ticketing changes or public events tied to the pandas’ debut. Zoo Atlanta says it will share more with the public once logistics are settled and a clear arrival timeline is in place.
