Pandemonium in Zoo Atlanta
Zoo Atlanta is a popular tourist destination, famous for one thing in particular: pandas. Kids, teens, and even adults can’t help but look in awe when seeing the pandas. Recently, Zoo Atlanta came out with a statement: “[Our] giant panda loan with China is set to expire in late 2024. All four of the pandas currently at Zoo Atlanta (Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun and Xi Lun) are expected to travel to China in 2024. However, we are working with our partners in China on the timing of all panda travels, so we do not yet have specific details on a timeframe in 2024.” People who were hopeful to see the pandas in the future have suddenly been put on an unspecified time crunch, so some have traveled from all over the world to Atlanta to get a glimpse of these pandas before they leave, ultimately boosting Zoo Atlanta’s attendance.
The panda obsession started in 1999 when China decided to loan two baby pandas, Lun Lun and Yang Yang, when they were 2 years old. They made a contract that declared that the pandas would be sent back in late 2024 and that any offspring born between then and now were to be sent to China. Already, five of Lun Lun and Yang Yang’s cubs have returned to China. Ya Lun and Xi Lun, (Lun Lun and Yang Yang’s youngest cubs), are 7 years old and are to be sent to China within the next year because the contract is starting to come to an end.
Since the word has come out that the pandas are to leave, panda fanatics are even more desperate to see them. In the last few months, attendance has increased 179 percent, and Zoo Atlanta has surpassed the making of 16 million dollars off of the pandas since the contract started. Additionally, according to the Washington Post, “More than 250,000 people entered the Atlanta Zoo over that six-week period last year, including guests from Alaska, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Guam.”
People from around the world have been taking extensive measures to ensure they don’t miss out on the pandas. Mary Barker, a huge panda fan, drove 18 hours through torrential rain from Pennsylvania to Atlanta; although the drive was long, she said that the trip was worth it. Another panda fan, 61-year-old Lainey Melnick, flew to Atlanta from Austin, “just to see the pandas.” “I would even fly to China to see them, but it’s a lot easier to fly to Atlanta,” she added. Plenty of other people and families have taken the time to travel to see these beloved pandas.
Though the panda’s official departure date is unknown, we do know they are set to leave sometime near the end of 2024, so make sure you visit Zoo Atlanta to see the pandas one final time. If you can’t visit the pandas but want to help the conservation efforts, donate!
By Marin Zocca