Most guests know the way well-known the San Diego Zoo is, however I’m continually requested one specific query.
Does the San Diego Zoo at present have pandas? Sure! Two new pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, arrived in 2024 after our earlier set of well-known black and white bears returned to China in 2019.
Three Simple Methods To See Our Pandas
The 2 pandas arrived safely from China. Yun Chuan, an nearly five-year-old male, and a feminine panda named Xin Bao, who’s about to show 4, are actually viewable by Zoo visitors.
There are 3 ways to see the large pandas on the San Diego Zoo:
Timed Tickets
Once you arrive on the Zoo, you could get hold of a free Big Panda Timed Ticket by scanning the ticket QR code on indicators posted throughout the Zoo. Choose a time from these accessible. Then, at the moment, arrive on the Timed Ticket Line at Panda Ridge. It’s that easy. However be aware that these Ginat Panda Instances Tickets are solely accessible day of, and are on a primary come, first served foundation.
Standby Line
For those who can’t get a Big Panda Timed Ticket, don’t fear. No ticket is required to get within the Standby Line at Panda Ridge. The road opens at 9:30 a.m. and can keep open till the Zoo closes for the day or the pandas depart their habitat for the day, whichever is sooner.
Early Morning Strolling Tour
The Zoo additionally presents a 60-minute Early Morning With Pandas Strolling Tour, led by an skilled information. The information will lead the group to unique viewings of the pandas. Nonetheless, this tour shouldn’t be free with Zoo admission. There may be a further value.
Reservations could also be made by telephone (619) 718-3000 or on-line through the Zoo’s web site. As of this writing, the associated fee per ticket begins at $92 however is increased on chosen dates.
Suggestions & Why I Suggest This Tour
Welcome, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao
The brand new San Diego Zoo arrivals are the primary pandas to enter the USA in 21 years. It’s fairly a momentous event.
Earlier than they launched into their journey, a farewell ceremony occurred on the China Conservation & Analysis Middle for Big Pandas in Sichuan province (which now we have additionally visited a number of occasions). San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance President and CEO Paul Baribault and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria attended.
Let’s be taught extra concerning the Zoo’s cute new panda pair.
Yun Chuan
Yun Chuan’s first title honors his grandmother, Bai Yun, who lived on the San Diego Zoo for over twenty years. He’s identified to be mild-mannered, mild, and lovable—the whole lot we count on from these large, gracious creatures.
A Particular Hyperlink to the Zoo
Yun Chuan has a particular, prior hyperlink to the San Diego Zoo. He’s the son of Zhen Zhen, born on the Zoo in 2007 to oldsters Bai Yun and Gao Gao. Xin Bao was born within the Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base. (We’ve been to the previous Wolong Hetaoping Panda Base, which was destroyed within the 2008 Chengdu earthquake.)
The Zoo has lengthy partnered with Wolong to check panda copy and parenting. In consequence, panda births have elevated throughout the final decade, elevating them from an endangered to susceptible standing.
Xin Bao
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance describes Xin Bao as a mild and witty introvert with a candy spherical face and large ears. Her title aptly interprets as a ‘new treasure of prosperity and abundance.’
The comfortable return of big pandas to the San Diego Zoo coincides with the thirtieth anniversary of the vastly profitable conservation partnership between the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and China Wildlife Conservation Affiliation. And what a method to rejoice!
The continued collaboration has resulted within the growth of groundbreaking reproductive and neonatal conservation strategies which have drastically improved the survival charges of nursery-reared cubs, together with the event of an enormous panda milk components. The survival charge was as soon as lower than 10% and has now elevated to over 90%.
This makes Yun Chuan and Xin Bao’s arrival much more particular.
Historical past of the San Diego Zoo Big Pandas
San Diego Zoo’s popularity as an enormous panda haven dates again a number of a long time. The primary pandas — Basi and Yuan Yuan — didn’t arrive in San Diego till 1987.
It was alleged to be a brief 100-day go to. Nonetheless, the pandas drew a whopping two million viewers. They ended up staying twice as lengthy.
However that wasn’t the tip of San Diego’s panda story. Bai Yun (beginner Yun Chuan’s grandmother) and Shi Shi arrived in 1996.
The preliminary settlement concerned, because the Zoo web site explains, “numerous crimson tape and tons of utility paperwork,” leading to a twelve-year mortgage from the Chinese language authorities. The mortgage was prolonged twice, and Bai Yun lived on the Zoo for 23 years, because of her success as a panda mother.
The San Diego Zoo developed a particular Big Panda Analysis Station habitat to accommodate the pandas. You may nonetheless see it within the Asian Passage part of the Zoo.
See additionally: The Surprising Origins of San Diego Zoo
Younger Pandas Born on the San Diego Zoo
The primary panda cub born at San Diego Zoo was named Hua Mei (translation: China USA) in 1999. Conceived through synthetic insemination, she was additionally the primary panda born within the U.S. to outlive to maturity.
She was such an enormous deal and the explanation that folks like me visited the San Diego Zoo commonly. Watching her evolve from a wide-eyed child to an grownup, tumbling across the enclosure, was a pleasure.
The primary panda cub is at all times particular.
Nonetheless, Shi Shi and Bai Yun weren’t enthusiastic matches, partially as a result of Shi Shi was older than specialists initially predicted. So, he returned to China, and in 2003, Gao Gao changed Shi Shi as Bai Yun’s mate.
It was a match. Bai Yun gave start to 5 extra cubs: Mei Sheng, Su Lin, Zhen Zhen, Yun Zi, and Xiao Liwu. (Bear in mind, Zhen Zhen is our new arrival, Yun Chuan’s mom).
These younger pandas had been welcomed into the world with nice pleasure from Zoo staff and guests alike.
Big Panda Conservation Program Successes
When San Diego’s big pandas first grew to become long-term zoo residents in 1996, the species was endangered within the wild.
Researchers had lengthy hoped to extend numbers however constantly bumped into roadblocks when breeding pandas in captivity.
The San Diego Zoo labored intently with specialists from China through its Big Panda Conservation Program to handle these points. This initiative made the a lot of the Zoo’s entry to pandas, utilizing in-depth analysis to uncover crucial fertility and copy points.
Underneath the steerage of the Big Panda Conservation Program, panda cub survival charges shortly improved. Intensive analysis highlighted the necessity for twin swapping amongst cubs, plus higher-quality milk components for panda newborns. These efforts have made it attainable to provide extra newborns and hold younger pandas alive.
Researchers on the San Diego Zoo shortly shared this data with their companions in China and different U.S. zoos and services worldwide.
This system’s long-term success might be attributed to this worldwide focus. You may learn extra about it on the Zoo’s Science weblog.
Why Did the Pandas Depart San Diego?
The reality is that the pandas had been by no means anticipated to remain right here ceaselessly. In 2019, Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu represented the tip of that mortgage program, which had already been prolonged a number of occasions.
The panda departure was marked by what director Dwight Scott known as a “becoming celebration” that included a “huge thanks to the Chinese language folks for his or her continued partnership and our mixed conservation accomplishments in serving to to save lots of this wonderful species.”
Former San Diego Zoo panda keeper Dallas Dumont explains: “We knew once we began this system that they weren’t our bears and that they wouldn’t be staying… China believes in having their animals retire again of their nation.”
Who Else Lives within the Asian Passage at San Diego Zoo
Along with seeing the brand new pandas in Panda Ridge, you may stroll by the Asian Passage on the Zoo to see different cool animals.
Animals within the Asian Passage
Don’t neglect concerning the crimson pandas! Right here is who you may see within the Asian Passage as you stroll by it:
We love the soft-serve ice cream at Hua Mei Cones! It’s adjoining to the Hua Mei Cafe — each had been named for the primary panda cub born on the Zoo.
Save Cash on Tickets
The San Diego Zoo has at all times been certainly one of Southern California’s most iconic sights, even earlier than the comfortable return of the pandas.
The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the sister park 45 minutes north of the Zoo in Escondido, additionally presents quite a few alternatives for connecting with nature.
Cease by both vacation spot (or each!) to find the sheer pleasure of being surrounded by wildlife. There’s no higher method to spend a pleasant day in San Diego.
There’s no must pay full worth when you may entry my low cost. Tickets are good for a yr from the date of buy. Be prepared for the pandas!
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