Opening day is here for San Diego Zoo's new pandas
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Yun Chuan, a 5-year-old male giant panda, will debut at the San Diego Zoo today. Photo: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
The wait is over. Panda Ridge officially opens today for visitors to see Yun Chuan and Xin Bao at the San Diego Zoo.
Why it matters: The giant pandas' highly anticipated debut is expected to draw big crowds — and traffic — to Balboa Park for the rest of August.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a proclamation Wednesday declaring today California Panda Day in celebration of the bears' debut.
Zoom in: Zoo visitors have three options to see the pandas, starting at noon today:
- Reserve a complimentary ticket and viewing time by scanning a QR code on signs posted throughout the zoo.
- Wait in the standby line at Panda Ridge, beginning at 9:30am.
- Purchase a one-hour, Early Morning with Pandas walking tour led by an expert guide for $92+ per person — but those are sold out for the rest of the month.
Driving the news: The city issued a traffic alert for the zoo area this week, encouraging visitors to use rideshares or public transportation, including buses and the trolley.
- People under 18 can ride free with the Youth Opportunity Pass, and riders can now use tap-to-pay.
- There are also dedicated bike lanes and a free shuttle that will pick up and drop off zoo-goers at the Inspiration Point lot, where parking is free.
Catch up quick: These are the first pandas to come to the U.S. in 21 years, renewing panda diplomacy between Washington, D.C., and China, as well as boosting local research and conservation efforts.
- The pair arrived in June and have been acclimating to their home in the newly renovated Panda Ridge habitat that's four times larger than the previous one.
- Yun Chuan (pronounced yoon chu-an) is an almost 5-year-old male with a long, slightly pointed nose. His mother and grandmother previously lived at the zoo.
- Xin (pronounced sing) Bao is nearly 4 years old and has a large, round face and big, fluffy ears.
Fun fact: The revamped Panda Ridge creates a vertical space for Xin Bao and Yun Chuan to climb and explore — and it's made to emulate the geographical features of the Sichuan, Gansu and Shanxi provinces of China.
- It includes shade trees for climbing and is meant to evoke the famous mountains, cliffs and canyons of the pandas' homeland.