The China Wildlife Conservation Association announced on the 24th that it will launch a new round of panda conservation and research cooperation with the Atlanta Zoo in the United States. The association stated that last year it signed an international cooperation agreement on panda conservation research with the Atlanta Zoo.
According to CCTV reports, under the terms of the agreement, pandas "Pingping" (male) and "Fushuang" (female) from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding will go to the United States to begin a ten-year panda conservation partnership. This continues the “panda bond” between the two peoples that has lasted for more than 20 years.
The association noted that, to ensure the two pandas live healthy lives in the US, the American side is actively carrying out various preparations such as upgrading and improving the panda enclosures, to create a more comfortable and safer living environment for the pandas participating in this new round of cooperation. At the same time, Chinese experts are providing technical guidance for the enclosure upgrades in the US, outlining standard requirements for panda enclosure facilities, husbandry management, food supply, and health care.
The association said that under the previous round of cooperation agreement, pandas “Yangyang” and “Lunlun” went to Atlanta Zoo in 1999 to begin their stay. They successfully bred five litters and seven cubs—the best result among panda international breeding cooperations between China and Europe or the United States. The two sides also cooperated on behavioral training, preventive veterinary medicine, conservation education and more, with active academic exchange and fruitful outcomes, contributing greatly to improving panda conservation research and promoting the cause of panda conservation, as well as fostering mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.