(NewsNation) — The first giant pandas to enter the United States in 20 years will soon arrive at the San Diego Zoo but will need weeks to acclimate to their new surroundings before they are seen by the general public.
The pandas, named Yun Chaun and Xin Bao, are en route to San Diego after a farewell ceremony for the two bears was held on Wednesday at the China Conservation & Research Center for Giant Pandas in Sichuan province.
San Diego Zoo officials said that after the pandas have arrived in San Diego, they will be provided several weeks to adjust to their new home. As soon as wildlife health and care teams confirm Yun Chuan and Xin Bao are ready to meet the public, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance will share a debut date and specific information about how to see the bears.
Washington’s National Zoo announced in May it would be receiving two giant pandas from China by the end of the year.
“This farewell celebrates their journey and underscores a collaboration between the United States and China on vital conservation efforts,” San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance President and CEO Paul Baribault said in a released statement. “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 San Diego Zoo 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.
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, zoo officials said.
The conservation collaboration between San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and China Wildlife Conservation Association strives 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.
Yun Chuan is described as a mild-mannered male who’s nearly 5 years old. The panda has connections to California, the Wildlife Alliance previously announced. His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007 to parents Bai Yun and Gao Gao.
Xin Bao is a nearly 4-year-old female described as “a gentle and witty introvert with a sweet round face and big ears.”
The Associated Press contributed reporting