The governor and first partner visited the zoo’s newly designed Panda Ridge habitat, which is home to five-year-old giant panda Yun Chuan and four-year-old female panda Xin Bao, who arrived in late June. Yun Chuan is the son of Zhen Zhen, a female panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007, and the grandson of Bai Yun and Gao Gao, who lived at the San Diego Zoo in the early 2000s.
Governor Newsom and First Partner Siebel Newsom at Panda Ridge
Yun Chuan and Xin Bao in their new home at the San Diego Zoo
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the conservation partnership between the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. The collaboration has made significant advances in giant panda conservation and resulted in the International Union for Conservation of Nature downgrading the giant panda’s status from critically endangered to vulnerable in 2016. This collaboration helps advance broader collaboration between California and Chinese partners to protect biodiversity and promote 30×30 efforts worldwide.
“We are excited to introduce Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to the world,” said Paul Baribault, President and CEO of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance“Guests will have the opportunity to visit these remarkable giant pandas, be inspired by their importance, learn about everything we are doing to protect them with our trusted Chinese partners, and join us in protecting their future.”
The state hopes that this conservation collaboration will lead to further exchanges and cooperation between California and China. The partnership between the two countries builds on a strong foundation built by Governors Schwarzenegger and Brown, the late Senator Dianne Feinstein, and Governor Newsom during his tenure as Mayor of San Francisco.
Also unveiled during today’s ceremony was an original portrait by California artist Shepard Fairey of Bai Yun, Yun Chuan’s maternal grandmother who lived at the San Diego Zoo for more than 20 years.
Learn more about the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s innovative conservation efforts and ways to visit Panda Ridge Here.
