California proclaims Panda Day in honor of public debut of two giant pandas

To celebrate the highly anticipated public debut of two giant pandas – Yun Chuan and Xin Bao – at the San Diego Zoo on Thursday, California Governor Gavin Newsom on Wednesday proclaimed August 8 as California Panda Day.

The two iconic black and white bears landed in California from China on June 27 for 10-year international giant panda protection cooperation with San Diego Zoo, marking a new round of such collaboration between the two nations.

Newsom called the newly arrived panda pair "envoys of friendship" in a statement, wishing the beloved bears would lead to further exchanges and cooperation between California and China.

He pointed out that San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance was the first organization in the United States to establish a cooperative panda conservation program with China.

"Their innovative conservation science has advanced efforts to protect and care for giant pandas around the world," explained the governor, noting that as a testament to its success, Yun Chuan, the five-year-old male panda was the son of Zhen Zhen, a female panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007.

Newsom said the conservation collaboration is part of California and China's long history of working together toward shared goals, adding that the Golden State, the largest economy and most populous state in the United States, and China have enjoyed "strong foundation of partnership and deep cultural and economic ties."

The governor also pointed out that giant pandas are beloved around the world and their conservation story is an inspiring example of strong partnerships and innovative strategies to protect the world's natural heritage.

"As the San Diego Zoo welcomes visitors to Panda Ridge this week, I encourage Californians to take this unique opportunity to appreciate one of the most iconic wildlife species and recognize the important partnerships at work to help them thrive for generations to come," he concluded.

San Diego Zoo is one of the most visited zoos in the United States. Located north of downtown San Diego in Balboa Park, it is home to more than 12,000 animals representing over 680 species and subspecies.