Giant pandas arrive safely from China at the San Diego Zoo

• Their arrival will also draw bigger crowds, more money and bolster research and conservation efforts at the zoo.

Driving the news: Mayor Todd Gloria and zoo officials joined U.S. and Chinese representatives at a farewell ceremony in China on Wednesday before the bears were shipped off.

• The pandas arrived Thursday in good condition to their private habit, where the San Diego Zoo and Wildlife Alliance health and care teams will monitor them.
• The iconic duo will spend the next several weeks in quarantine, acclimating to their new home before meeting the public.

Zoom in: Yun Chuan (pronounced yoon chu-an) is an almost 5-year-old male with a long, slightly pointed nose.

• His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at San Diego Zoo in 2007, and his grandmother, Bai Yun, lived at the zoo for 23 years.
• Xin (pronounced sing) Bao, is nearly 4 years old and has a large, round face and big, fluffy ears. Her name means "precious treasure of prosperity and abundance."

Flashback: The San Diego Zoo was home to nine pandas between 1996 and 2019 — when the last bears were returned to China.

• San Diego was the first U.S. state to have a cooperative panda conservation program, and the 30-year partnership has helped the species survive, according to the zoo.

What we're watching: The panda habitat area has been temporarily closed for renovation and expansion.

What's next: The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance will share more details about when and how to see the already-beloved pandas.

• San Francisco and the National Zoo in D.C. are also set to welcome giant pandas soon.