China, U.S. launching new 10-year giant panda conservation partnership

Giant panda Yun Chuan (R) and Xin Bao

The China Wildlife Conservation Association and the San Diego Zoo in the U.S. have recently signed an agreement for giant panda conservation, selecting a pair of giant pandas to be sent to the San Diego Zoo for a 10-year international conservation partnership.

To ensure the well-being of the giant pandas in the U.S. in March, experts from the China Wildlife Conservation Association traveled to the U.S. to engage in in-depth discussions and technical exchanges with the San Diego Zoo regarding panda care, living environment, and health requirements.

In line with the agreement, both parties are actively progressing with the preparations for the pandas' journey to the U.S.. China has selected a pair of pandas, Yun Chuan (male) and Xin Bao (female), from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and has arranged for experienced caretakers and veterinarians to accompany them to the U.S.

The U.S. is currently renovating and upgrading the panda facilities to provide a larger and more comfortable living environment. Additionally, the zoo has assembled a professional team with expertise in panda care, daily nursing, and related scientific research, acquired through study and exchange programs in China.

The San Diego Zoo is one of the world's top five zoos. In 1996, the two parties officially commenced panda cooperation, with Bai Yun and Shi Shi from the CCRCGP becoming the first pair to reside at the San Diego Zoo.

Over the past 23 years, the two sides have engaged in extensive collaborative exchanges in various fields, including wild panda ecology, behavior, genetic structure, monitoring techniques, captive breeding, disease prevention and control, nutrition, companion species research, and public education.

They have jointly solved a series of technical challenges, including important discoveries in key areas such as panda breeding, habitat protection, and panda supplemental nutrition.

This collaboration has cultivated a group of outstanding professionals, resulting in the publication of over 30 professional books and more than 100 academic papers, effectively enhancing the level of panda conservation research.

The pandas Hua Mei and Mei Sheng, bred by Bai Yun, Shi Shi and Gao Gao, during their stay at the San Diego Zoo, are not only the result of China-U.S. giant panda research cooperation but also adorable ambassadors promoting friendly exchanges between the two countries, making a positive contribution to enhancing friendship between the peoples of China and the U.S.