The state of California could become the first in the country to welcome a new pair of giant pandas.
This comes after a recent collaborative effort was reached between the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the China Wildlife Conservation Association, and also filed a permit application with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The agreement points to San Diego receiving two Giant Pandas by the end of this summer of 2024. Due to the recent collaborative conservation, this would make California the first state to receive a new pair.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said last fall that both California and China share cultural ties and that he hopes that the state would eventually welcome pandas once again. And now, it seems it will become a reality four months after he visited China in October 2023.
“California and China share deep cultural and economic ties, and we look forward to the opportunity to again welcome these iconic bears to the Golden State,” said Governor Gavin Newsom, in a visit to China last fall. “From securing a safe future for this national treasure to fighting climate change, we’re proud to continue our long history of working together towards shared goals.”
As for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, they released a statement this week with optimism for the possible opportunity to warmly welcome these pandas.
“We are humbled by the potential opportunity of continuing our collaborative conservation efforts to secure the future for giant pandas. As such, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is taking important steps to ensure we are prepared for a potential return. This includes sharing our detailed conservation plans with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure alignment for the greater benefit of giant pandas,” said Dr. Megan Owen, Vice President of Conservation Science.
Dr. Megan Owen says this move will play a pivotal role in resisting the extinction of genetic diversity and that the zoo is positioned to create a future for these giant pandas.
“Pandas in our care and in the care of Chinese colleagues at conservation facilities play an important role as assurance against extinction and loss of genetic diversity in their native habitats, as well as a source population for reintroductions,” said Dr. Owen. “Our partnership over the decades has served as a powerful example of how—when we work together—we can achieve what was once thought to be impossible. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance is uniquely positioned to collaborate toward a shared goal of creating a sustainable future for giant pandas.”