A chartered FedEx cargo plane carrying a pair of Chinese giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, lands in Atlanta, the US, on September 27, 2026. Photo: Xinhua

The pair of Chinese giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang arrived at Zoo Atlanta on Sunday local time for a 10-year stay, receiving a warm welcome from visitors eager to meet them.

A chartered FedEx cargo plane carrying the pandas landed in Atlanta in the southeastern US on Sunday morning. Their arrival followed an agreement signed by the China Wildlife Conservation Association on international cooperation in giant panda protection with Zoo Atlanta last year.

According to the Chinese side, veterinarians and keepers from both countries conducted a joint examination of the pandas and confirmed that they are in good health. The two pandas have begun a routine quarantine of about one month, CCTV News reported on Monday.

Some visitors were eager to welcome Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, CCTV News reported. One visitor said he was particularly excited to see the pandas, having had the chance to see them during their previous stay. The visitor added that his wife was especially excited, as giant pandas are her favorite animals and she did not get a chance to see them last time.

Inside Zoo Atlanta, located in Grant Park, a banner read, "The future home of Ping Ping and Fu Shuang." Nearby, Ollie's Market and Deli had a chalkboard sign welcoming the pandas in Chinese and English, according to a CNN report on Monday.

Zoo Atlanta is one of a handful of institutions in the US that have hosted pandas over the past half-century, continuing a tradition that stretches back to US President Richard M. Nixon's visit to Beijing in 1972, according to The New York Times.

"I'm really excited. We managed to catch the last ones before they left, so I'm glad they're coming back, especially with our baby here. I'm excited to show her the pandas when they are available to see," another local netizen said, according to CCTV News.

China had previously dispatched two teams of veterinarians and keepers to Zoo Atlanta to make preparations. The Chinese staff will stay at the zoo for three months to care for the two pandas during their quarantine period, help them adapt to stress and conduct behavioral training to help them adjust to their new environment as quickly as possible, the CCTV News report noted.

When plans for giant pandas to return to Atlanta were announced in the spring, Zoo Atlanta CEO Raymond B. King celebrated "the wonder and joy of giant pandas" and said his facility was "delighted and honored to yet again be trusted as stewards of this treasured species," PBS News reported.

In 2024, Zoo Atlanta returned four pandas that had lived at the zoo to China. Atlanta residents Katy and Zach Justice told CNN on Sunday they had previously seen the panda family at the zoo. Now, the couple is excited to introduce their young child to the new pandas.

"I think it'll be really cool for her to be able to look back and see pictures of her with the pandas," Zach said. "As a family, we're excited anytime we get to show our baby new experiences," CNN reported.

To date, China has conducted giant panda conservation and research cooperation with the US and signed long-term cooperation agreements with the zoos in San Diego, Washington, Atlanta and Memphis, the Global Times learned from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. Giant pandas living in the US have produced a total of 17 surviving cubs.