A pair of pandas from China have arrived and will settle into their new home in America's finest city -- San Diego, California.
The panda diplomacy ambassadors, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, are the first new set of pandas to make their way to the U.S. in 21 years.
Caretaker Huang Shan, who prepared the animals for the journey by teaching them commands in English, traveled with the 3-year-old and 4-year-old bears to assist with the transition to their new home.
The pandas arrived to Los Angeles International Airport on Friday morning and head to the San Diego Zoo where they will begin a one-month quarantine period as they acclimate to their new environment.
He said that Yun Chuan is active, outgoing and comes over when he hears caretakers footsteps, while Xin Bao is more sensitive, but smart and interested in the sounds of animals and birds.
A private farewell ceremony for the bears was held in Ya'an, where the pandas departed from on Thursday, with both Chinese dignitaries and representatives from the San Diego Zoo in attendance.
After the pandas arrive in San Diego, they will not be viewable to the public while they acclimate for several weeks to their new home. When wildlife health and care teams confirm the pair are ready to meet the public, we will share a debut date and how to see the beloved pandas.
— San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (@sandiegozoo) June 26, 2024
San Diego Zoo President and CEO Paul Baribault told "Good Morning America" this marks a poignant moment for the team.
"It is truly a moment where I get to pinch myself and think that I get to be a part of an organization that gets to do this," he said.
Baribault explained that the conservation team members "have to do a lot of preparation to make sure that [the pandas] are well taken care of through the whole journey" and said that the San Diego-based team, plus their China conservation partners, "will be on the travel with them -- it'll be a great trip."
As pandemonium builds stateside, visitors will have to wait a bit longer to catch a glimpse of the gentle giants while they get acclimated to their new home.
An earlier version of this story was first published on June 27, 2024.
