Zoo Atlanta’s pandas return on Friday, November 6, 2026, when giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang debut in the new Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove. The zoo opens at 10:30 a.m. that day. The opening ends a two-year gap without pandas in Atlanta and starts a new chapter in a program that began in 1999.
Key Takeaways
- Zoo Atlanta opens at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, November 6, the opening day of the Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove.
- A $6 million grant from the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation paid for the habitat renovation.
- The habitat is named for Arthur Blank’s support of the panda program, which goes back to the arrival of Lun Lun and Yang Yang in 1999.
- Ping Ping and Fu Shuang live at Zoo Atlanta under a 10-year conservation agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
- Zoo Atlanta is one of three U.S. zoos with giant pandas and the only one in the Southeast.
Zoo Atlanta Pandas Return After a Two-Year Gap
For two years, Zoo Atlanta had no pandas. Its four previous pandas, Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun and Xi Lun, returned to China in 2024. On November 6, visitors will see Ping Ping and Fu Shuang in a habitat built for the new pair.
Zoo Atlanta President and CEO Raymond B. King called the opening “a momentous occasion in Zoo Atlanta history.” He said that guests who remember the original habitat will see right away that the new space is a different experience.
Meet Ping Ping and Fu Shuang
Ping Ping is male and Fu Shuang is female. Both were born in 2020 at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Ping Ping in March and Fu Shuang in October. Fu Shuang turned 6 in October while the zoo prepared for the debut. Their names mean “peace” and “double blessing.”
The pair arrived in Atlanta on September 27 and began a month-long quarantine to settle in. They came to Zoo Atlanta under a new 10-year conservation agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, and the zoo’s breeding program is part of their stay.
A Panda Program Built on 27 Years of Atlanta Philanthropy
Zoo Atlanta’s panda program began in 1999, when Lun Lun and Yang Yang arrived. Arthur Blank’s support started that same year. The zoo’s first panda habitat was named the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Giant Panda Conservation Center, and the new Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove carries his name forward.
A second Atlanta foundation paid for the new space. The Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, another longtime supporter of Zoo Atlanta and its panda program, gave a $6 million grant for the renovation. King thanked both foundations and the zoo’s wider philanthropic community for their long-term support of the program.
The funding shows how much the panda program depends on local support. Two Atlanta foundations helped carry it from the 1999 arrival through the 2024 return and into a new 10-year agreement. Blank said the grove will let generations of visitors see giant pandas up close while supporting conservation research worldwide.
Inside the Renovated Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove
Zoo Atlanta says the renovation was designed around the pandas’ wellbeing and new experiences for members and guests. The indoor dayrooms are larger and now have new climbing structures and a pool in each. The outdoor habitats also have new climbing structures.
The grove also adds water features and a sculpture. According to the zoo, the sculpture represents a hopeful future for wildlife and the giant panda’s role as a global ambassador for peace and harmony.
Zoo Atlanta Giant Pandas Return to a Short List of U.S. Zoos
The opening brings Atlanta back to the small group of American zoos with giant pandas. Zoo Atlanta is one of three U.S. zoos with giant pandas and the only one in the Southeast, which makes the new grove a regional draw for families across Georgia and neighboring states.
Fans who can’t visit will have another way to watch. Zoo Atlanta is bringing back its PandaCam, the livestream it ran for the previous four pandas.
The Panda Grove opening comes at the start of a busy family season in Atlanta. Later in the month, Piedmont Park’s Light Up the Season celebration and its new Holiday Lantern Parade adds another free outing for families on November 22.
FAQs
Does Zoo Atlanta have pandas again?
Yes. Ping Ping and Fu Shuang arrived on September 27, 2026. They make their public debut on November 6 in the Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove.
When do Ping Ping and Fu Shuang debut at Zoo Atlanta?
The pandas debut on Friday, November 6, 2026, the same day the renovated Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove opens.
What time does Zoo Atlanta open on November 6?
Zoo Atlanta opens at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, November 6. That’s later than usual, to prepare for the panda debut.
Are there giant pandas in other U.S. zoos?
Yes. Zoo Atlanta is one of three U.S. zoos with giant pandas and the only one in the Southeast.
What happened to Zoo Atlanta’s previous pandas?
Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun and Xi Lun returned to China in 2024. Lun Lun and Yang Yang first arrived at Zoo Atlanta in 1999.
How long will the pandas stay at Zoo Atlanta?
Ping Ping and Fu Shuang live at Zoo Atlanta under a 10-year conservation agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
