In an exciting development for wildlife enthusiasts and the local community, Mayor London Breed announced on Thursday that giant pandas will soon make their home at the San Francisco Zoo, marking a historic collaboration under China's Panda Diplomacy program.
Mayor Breed, currently in Beijing, unveiled the news alongside Chinese officials, highlighting the signing of a memorandum with the China Wildlife Conservation Association—the first official leased agreement to house pandas at the San Francisco Zoo.
The initiative stems from Mayor Breed's direct appeal to Chinese President Xi Jinping during the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit held in San Francisco last November. Following this, Mayor Breed reinforced her request in a formal letter to President Xi, underscoring the city's eagerness to host these iconic animals.
While the San Francisco Zoo briefly hosted pandas in 1984 and 1985, the upcoming arrangement represents a significant milestone, with the potential to attract visitors and bolster the city's tourism and economic vitality. During the pandas' previous visit in 1984, over 260,000 visitors flocked to the zoo, underscoring the public's enthusiasm for these rare creatures.
The presence of giant pandas is expected to resonate deeply with San Francisco's Chinese and API communities, enhancing the city's cultural landscape and enriching its attractions. Notably, this initiative will fill a void, as California has been without pandas since the last ones returned to China from the San Diego Zoo in 2019.