:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/grupoclarin/K3SJWZTYUBAZLLVAB4LDND4VXQ.jpg "A pair of giant pandas will travel from China to San Diego as part of a conservation agreement")
SAN DIEGO (AP) — A pair of giant pandas will soon make the journey from China to the United States, where they will be cared for at the San Diego Zoo under a conservation agreement between the two countries, officials said Monday.
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said its keepers had recently visited China to meet the pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, before they make the trip to Southern California. An exact date for delivery has not been set.
Yun Chuan, a mild-mannered male of almost five years old, has “deep connections” to California, the organization said. His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007, the daughter of Bai Yun and Gao Gao.
Xin Bao is an almost 4-year-old female described as “a kind and witty introvert with a sweet round face and big ears.”
“Our conservation partners in China shared photos and personality traits of Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, but meeting them in person was very special,” said Dr. Megan Owen, the alliance’s vice president of conservation science. “It’s inspiring how people from around the world come together to conserve, protect and care for these special bears, and we can’t wait to welcome them to San Diego.”
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance has been working for nearly 30 years with institutions in China focused on protecting and recovering giant pandas and the bamboo forests on which they depend.