China's giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang make public debut at US zoo

Chinese giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang made their highly anticipated debut at Zoo Atlanta on Friday, meeting the media and visitors after more than a month of adjusting to their new home in the US.

The pandas have settled in an upgraded habitat featuring new greenery, facilities and swimming pools, with the support of a Chinese keeper from Chengdu.

Gina Ferrie, vice president of collections and conservation at Zoo Atlanta, described Ping Ping as "very outgoing and adventurous," saying he quickly adapted to eating locally sourced bamboo, while Fu Shuang is "more shy and quiet" and has taken a little more time to adjust to her environment.

The pair arrived in Atlanta on the morning of September 27, after which they underwent routine quarantine.

Under an agreement between the China Wildlife Conservation Association and Zoo Atlanta, the two pandas will stay at Zoo Atlanta for a 10-year conservation cooperation program.

To ensure their health and well-being, the zoo carried out preparations, including upgrades to the panda habitat, to provide a safer and more comfortable living environment. Chinese experts also offered technical guidance on the renovations and set standards for habitat facilities, husbandry and management, food supplies and health care.

"The inside day rooms are double the size of what they had previously, and we have made the outside habitats also much nicer with more new plantings and new climbing structures," said Ferrie, adding that both pandas have newly added pools.

China and Zoo Atlanta have collaborated on giant panda conservation and research for more than two decades, achieving significant results. The partnership has jointly carried out more than 30 research projects and published over 50 academic papers, making breakthroughs in panda breeding and cub rearing, behavioral studies and disease prevention and control.

During their cooperation, the two sides successfully bred and raised seven cubs, marking a notable achievement in China's international giant panda breeding partnerships with Europe and North America.

The two sides have also fostered academic and cultural exchanges, helping strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries.

Read more: China, US renew conservation cooperation on giant pandas