Most visitors know how famous the San Diego Zoo is, but I’m constantly asked one particular question.
Does the San Diego Zoo currently have pandas? Until now, the answer has been no because our most recent set of famous black and white bears returned to China in 2019. Fast-forward five years, and we have some exciting news: Pandas are returning to the San Diego Zoo!
They’re Coming Back?
Two pandas arrived safely from China and will spend some time acclimating before being seen by Zoo guests. They are Yun Chuan, an almost-five-year-old male, and a female panda named Xin Bao, who is about to turn four years old.
Yun Chuan has a special link to the San Diego Zoo. He is the son of Zhen Zhen, born there in 2007 to parents Bai Yun and Gao Gao. Xin Bao was born in the Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base. (We’ve been to the former Wolong Hetaoping Panda Base, which was destroyed in the 2008 Chengdu earthquake.)
The Zoo has long partnered with Wolong to study panda reproduction and parenting. As a result, panda births have increased across the last decade, elevating them from an endangered to vulnerable status.
Let’s learn more about the Zoo’s adorable new panda pair.
Welcome, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao
The new San Diego Zoo arrivals are the first pandas to enter the United States in 21 years. It is quite a momentous occasion. Before they embarked on their journey a few days ago, a farewell ceremony occurred at the China Conservation & Research Center for Giant Pandas in Sichuan province (which we have also visited a few times). It was attended by San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance President and CEO Paul Baribault and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.
Once the pandas arrive safely in San Diego and acclimate to their new surroundings, the public will have the chance to welcome them in person. There’s no confirmed date yet, but a Fall 2024 debut is likely.
Yun Chuan’s first name honors his grandmother, Bai Yun, who lived at the San Diego Zoo for over twenty years. He’s known to be mild-mannered, gentle, and lovable—everything we expect from these huge, gracious creatures.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance describes Xin Bao as a gentle and witty introvert with a sweet round face and big ears. Her name aptly translates as a ‘new treasure of prosperity and abundance.’
The happy return of giant pandas to the San Diego Zoo coincides with the 30th anniversary of the hugely successful conservation partnership between the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and China Wildlife Conservation Association. And what a way to celebrate!
The ongoing collaboration has resulted in the development of groundbreaking reproductive and neonatal conservation techniques that have drastically improved the survival rates of nursery-reared cubs, including the development of a giant panda milk formula. The survival rate was once less than 10% and has now increased to over 90%.
This makes Yun Chuan and Xin Bao’s arrival even more special. We will keep you updated as we learn more.
History of the San Diego Zoo Giant Pandas
San Diego Zoo’s reputation as a giant panda haven dates back several decades. The first pandas — Basi and Yuan Yuan — didn’t arrive in San Diego until 1987.
It was supposed to be a short 100-day visit. However, the pandas drew a whopping two million viewers. They ended up staying twice as long.
But that wasn’t the end of San Diego’s panda story. Bai Yun (newbie Yun Chuan’s grandmother) and Shi Shi arrived in 1996.
The initial agreement involved, as the Zoo website explains, “a lot of red tape and tons of application paperwork,” resulting in a twelve-year loan from the Chinese government. The loan was extended twice, and Bai Yun lived at the Zoo for 23 years, thanks to her success as a panda mom.
The San Diego Zoo developed a special Giant Panda Research Station habitat to accommodate the pandas. You can still see it in the Asian Passage section of the Zoo.
See also: The Unexpected Origins of San Diego Zoo
Young Pandas Born at the San Diego Zoo
The first panda cub born at San Diego Zoo was named Hua Mei (translation: China USA) in 1999. Conceived via artificial insemination, she was also the first panda born in the U.S. to survive to adulthood.
She was such a big deal and the reason that people like me visited the San Diego Zoo regularly. Watching her evolve from a wide-eyed baby to an adult, tumbling around the enclosure, was a joy.
The first panda cub is always special.
However, Shi Shi and Bai Yun weren’t enthusiastic matches, partially because Shi Shi was older than experts initially predicted. So, he returned to China, and in 2003, Gao Gao replaced Shi Shi as Bai Yun’s mate.
It was a match. Bai Yun gave birth to five more cubs: Mei Sheng, Su Lin, Zhen Zhen, Yun Zi, and Xiao Liwu. (Remember, Zhen Zhen is our new arrival, Yun Chuan’s mother).
These young pandas were welcomed into the world with great excitement from Zoo employees and visitors alike.
Giant Panda Conservation Program Successes
When San Diego’s giant pandas first became long-term zoo residents in 1996, the species was endangered in the wild.
Researchers had long hoped to increase numbers but continuously ran into roadblocks when breeding pandas in captivity.
The San Diego Zoo worked closely with experts from China via its Giant Panda Conservation Program to address these issues. This initiative made the most of the Zoo’s access to pandas, using in-depth research to uncover critical fertility and reproduction issues.
Under the guidance of the Giant Panda Conservation Program, panda cub survival rates quickly improved. Intensive research highlighted the need for twin swapping among cubs, plus higher-quality milk formula for panda newborns. These efforts have made it possible to produce more newborns and keep young pandas alive.
Researchers at the San Diego Zoo quickly shared this information with their partners in China and other U.S. zoos and facilities worldwide.
The program’s long-term success can arguably be attributed to this international focus. You can read more about it on the Zoo’s Science blog.
Why Did the Pandas Leave San Diego?
The truth is that the pandas were never expected to stay here forever. In 2019, Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu represented the end of that loan program, which had already been extended several times.
The panda departure was marked by what director Dwight Scott called a “fitting celebration” that included a “big thank you to the Chinese people for their continued partnership and our combined conservation accomplishments in helping to save this amazing species.”
Former San Diego Zoo panda keeper Dallas Dumont explains: “We knew when we started the program that they were not our bears and that they wouldn’t be staying… China believes in having their animals retire back in their country.”
Skeptics question this stance, as the pandas stayed long past the original agreement. The Smithsonian National Zoo deputy director Brandie Smith vehemently denies diplomacy concerns are involved, explaining that the similar loss of the D.C. zoo’s panda diplomat Bei Bei will ultimately prove most beneficial for all parties involved.
Which makes the arrival of Yun Chuan and Xin Bao at San Diego Zoo all the more special.
Who Else Lives in the Asian Passage at San Diego Zoo
Despite saying goodbye to its beloved giant pandas, the San Diego Zoo continues its panda-oriented conservation efforts. Until our new pandas arrive and are ready to be enjoyed by the public, you can walk through the Asian Passage.
Animals in the Asian PAssage
Don’t forget about the red pandas! They currently occupy the former giant panda habitat in the Asian Passage section of the Zoo. Here is who you can see in the Asian Passage as you walk through it:
We love the soft-serve ice cream at Hua Mei Cones! It’s adjacent to the Hua Mei Cafe — both were named for the first panda cub born at the Zoo.
What Other Zoos Have Pandas?
If you love giant pandas, you can get up close and personal with them at the Zoo Atlanta Panda Pagoda. It’s the only zoo in America that currently houses pandas. San Diego Zoo will be the second.
Tip: Take a look at archival footage of San Diego Zoo pandas.
Save Money on Tickets
The San Diego Zoo has always been one of Southern California’s most iconic attractions, even before the happy return of the pandas.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the sister park 45 minutes north of the Zoo in Escondido, also offers numerous opportunities for connecting with nature.
Stop by either destination (or both!) to discover the sheer joy of being surrounded by wildlife. There’s no better way to spend a delightful day in San Diego.
There’s no need to pay full price when you can access my discount. Tickets are good for a year from the date of purchase. Be ready for the pandas!
GET MY EXCLUSIVE SAN DIEGO ZOO PROMO CODE!
I have the best final price on San Diego Zoo tickets available to the general public, with no membership required. For this reason, we can’t publish the promo code online, but can send it by text or email. The discounted price is $68/adult and $58/child (ages 3–11) — all taxes and fees included!
*By texting the word SDZOO to 1-833-490-0799 you agree to receive automated promotional messages with how to secure my deeper ticket discount and this agreement isn’t a condition of any purchase. Msg and data rates may apply. 2 msg/mo. Reply STOP to cancel. Read my full privacy policy.
