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Giant Pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang Make Their Public Debut at Zoo Atlanta

The six-year-old pandas arrived from China in September, ending a two-year gap at the zoo.

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Conceptual paper-cut illustration of two giant pandas in a bamboo grove.
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Pandas return to Atlanta

November 6, 2026 · 5:00 p.m. Central / 6:00 p.m. Eastern

Giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang made their public debut at Zoo Atlanta on Friday, bringing pandas back into view at the zoo after a two-year absence.

Visitors lined up as the pair ate bamboo and lounged in their new surroundings, The Associated Press reported. The six-year-old pandas arrived from China in September and spent weeks adjusting before the public opening.

Ping Ping is male and Fu Shuang is female. Both were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, according to Zoo Atlanta.

A renovated home

The new Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove opened Friday. The zoo says the updated habitat includes larger indoor dayrooms, climbing structures and pools, along with changes to outdoor areas.

Zoo Atlanta’s previous four pandas returned to China in October 2024 when the earlier agreement ended. The new pair are at the zoo under a 10-year loan agreement, AP reported.

The zoo says its collaboration with partners in China supports research and giant-panda conservation. It plans to announce details of a returning PandaCam later; no launch date was provided in its FAQ.

A long-awaited visit

One family extended a vacation from Sacramento, California, by a day to see the pandas, AP reported. A Georgia Tech student from Chengdu told the agency he felt a connection to the animals’ hometown.

Ping Ping was born March 17, 2020, and Fu Shuang was born October 18, 2020, the zoo says. For visitors planning a trip, hours and access information are available from the zoo.

Where to find the zoo

The star marks the approximate center of Atlanta, Georgia, not the specific venue.

★ Approximate Atlanta, Georgia city center. Map data: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Open map.

The pandas’ path to the public

Dates are local to Atlanta.

  1. The zoo’s four previous giant pandas departed for China.
  2. Ping Ping and Fu Shuang arrived in Atlanta.
  3. The renovated Panda Grove opened and the pair made their public debut.

The zoo’s arrival announcement

In this September post, Zoo Atlanta announced the pair’s arrival. The public debut followed weeks later.

Open the original post if the embed does not load.

Sources and visual credits

Zoo Atlanta · Associated Press · CBS News Atlanta · Zoo Atlanta on X: September arrival.

Hero and thumbnail: conceptual illustration, not photographs of the pandas or their actual habitat. Map data: OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.