Vienna, Austria – The eagerly awaited panda pair arrived at Schönbrunn Zoo this morning.

Zoo Director Dr. Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck traveled to China to attend the farewell ceremony for the two pandas in Chengdu and accompanied them during their transport.

District Manager Dr. Gerlinde Hillebrand and animal keeper Mag. Renate Haider spent a week at the Dujiangyan Panda Station to get to know the pandas and their habits.

During the flight from Chengdu to Vienna, Renate Haider and veterinarian Yang Haidi had access to the cargo hold to provide bamboo, steamed bamboo bread, water, and check on the animals’ well-being.

At Vienna Airport, a specialized cargo team ensured a smooth arrival and quick transfer to the zoo.

In the 1980s, there were only around 1,100 giant pandas left in China. Thanks to strict conservation efforts, the population has grown to about 1,900.

Since 2003, Schönbrunn Zoo has been part of an international cooperation with the China Wildlife Conservation Association to protect giant pandas.

In June 2024, the zoo extended its cooperation agreement for another ten years.

“We are very proud to be committed to the protection and preservation of the giant panda and its habitat,” said Hering-Hagenbeck.

The pandas’ trusted keeper traveled to Vienna with them and will stay to help them acclimate.

The animals will be in quarantine and acclimating to their indoor enclosure until mid-May, when they will be presented at an official ceremony.

The female panda is named Lan Yun (“Grace of an Orchid”) and the male is He Feng (“Touch of Lotus”). Both were born in 2020 at the Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Pandas.

Adult giant pandas are solitary animals, so they will live in separate enclosures.

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