Two pandas will be making their official debut at an American zoo this summer.
Xin Bao and Yun Chuan arrived in the U.S. almost a month and a half ago and will be ready to meet the public in person on Thursday, August 8, at the San Diego Zoo.
The animals’ caretakers have described 4-year-old Xin Bao as being more laid back while 5-year-old Yun Chuan is more inquisitive and shy.
Dr. Megan Owen, the Vice President of Wildlife and Conservation Science at the facility described Yun Chuan as a ‘bamboo-loving bear’ and said that he has gotten very comfortable with his new habitat as he’s often seen exploring.
According to Owen, the zoo has grown eight different types of bamboo specifically for the animals so they can tell them which are their favorites.
When feeding, pandas use their teeth to remove the outermost layer of bambbo to reach the inner shoot which they eat together with the stems and leaves.
Due to the fact that bamboo is low in nutrients, however, adult pandas must eat at least 40 pounds a day to meet their metabolic demands. Infants, on the other hand, can rely on the milk from their mothers and rarely, on baby formula.
Owen said their team has worked together to develop a special panda baby formula that increases the animals’ survival rates by 90 percent.
While panda lending has been halted due to increasing tensions between China and the U.S., the resumed ‘panda diplomacy’ is being celebrated in both nations.
The president of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Paul Baribault said that while there are global politics involved, both China and the U.S. sees the importance of wildlife conservation as it’s a priority that they share.
According to The San Diego Zoo, Yuan Chuan and Xin Bao are the first pandas to arrive in the United States in more than two decades.
As for how to differentiate between the two new residents, caretakers at the zoo have said that Xin Bao has a slightly larger and rounder face with fluffy ears while Yun Chuan has a slightly pointed nose.
Since the pandas’ arrival in June, they were put into isolation so they can acclimate to their new environment. They now reside in Panda Ridge, an innovative space that was specially put together as their habitat. Not only does it feature numerous trees, but it’s also rich with plants and rolling hillsides.
For those who are interested in meeting the giant pandas, the San Diego Zoo offers three options: visitors can join the standby line, purchase a Giant Panda Timed Ticket, or opt for the Early Morning with Pandas Tour, which is a 60-minute long guide.
