Giant pandas will be returning to the United States at the San Diego Zoo after nearly all the famous bears in U.S. zoos were sent back to China, restoring a long-standing tradition of furry diplomacy.
Zoo officials told the Associated Press on Thursday that if everything is approved, two bears, a male and female, will arrive by the end of the summer, nearly five years after the last pandas in California were sent back to Beijing.
“We’re very excited and hopeful,” said Megan Owen, vice president of wildlife conservation science within the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “They’ve expressed a tremendous amount of enthusiasm to re-initiate panda cooperation starting with the San Diego Zoo.”
The China Wildlife Conservation Association confirmed on Thursday that cooperation agreements were signed with the zoo in Madrid, and it is in conversation with Vienna and Washington, D.C., to bring pandas back to the capital.
“We look forward to further expanding the research outcomes on the conservation of endangered species such as giant pandas, and promoting mutual understanding and friendship among peoples through the new round of international cooperation,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in Beijing.
The partnership will look similar to previous agreements, including research on disease prevention and habitat protection, as well as contributing to the construction of China’s national panda park.
Fears that panda diplomacy was nearing its end escalated last year when the Smithsonian National Zoo said goodbye to its beloved giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian and their 3-year-old cub, Xiao Qi Ji. The pandas flew on the FedEx Panda Express on a 19-hour trip to the China Wildlife Conservation Society. November became the first time in 23 years that the panda exhibit was empty.
The Smithsonian National Zoo confirmed to the Washingtonian that talks between Washington and Beijing are occurring.
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“It’s always been our intention and hope to have giant pandas at the Zoo in the future and continue our research here and conservation work in China,” National Zoo Director Brandie Smith said. “The Zoo is in discussions with our Chinese partner, the China Wildlife Conservation Association, to develop a future giant panda program.”
The revival of the panda program in the U.S. is not a complete surprise. In mid-November, Chinese President Xi Jinping indicated he was open to continuing the conservation program, calling the bears “envoys of friendship” between Chinese and American people.