ATLANTA — Giant pandas are back in Atlanta after the city went nearly two years without them.

Ping Ping, a male, and Fu Shuang, a female, arrived safely in Atlanta after traveling from China. Both pandas were born at China’s Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in 2020. Fu Shuang will celebrate her birthday in the coming weeks.

Their arrival renews a relationship between Zoo Atlanta and China that dates back more than 25 years.

Zoo Atlanta first welcomed giant pandas in 1999, when Yang Yang and Lun Lun arrived from China. The pair went on to produce seven cubs between 2006 and 2016, including two sets of twins.

Yang Yang and Lun Lun became two of Zoo Atlanta’s most popular residents, while their growing family drew visitors from around the world.

Atlanta’s previous giant panda era came to an end in October 2024, when Yang Yang and Lun Lun returned to China with their two youngest cubs.

Ping Ping and Fu Shuang’s arrival brings giant pandas back to Zoo Atlanta for the first time since their departure.