Giant pandas from China debut in San Diego

The San Diego Zoo’s newest giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, debuted in the zoo’s expanded Panda Ridge habitat, which mimics China’s landscapes, on Thursday.

The pandas arrived in San Diego in late June and have spent weeks acclimating to their new environment. These are the first giant pandas to enter the U.S. in 21 years, symbolizing ongoing international conservation efforts. In celebration of their debut, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared Aug. 8, 2024, as California Panda Day. Visitors can view the pandas through timed tickets, a standby line or an early morning walking tour. Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, on loan from China as “envoys of friendship,” represent a renewed phase in “panda diplomacy” amid evolving U.S.-China relations.