Overview

• The San Francisco Zoo expects to receive two giant pandas from China on a three-year loan by April 2026, pending final approvals.
• Zoo officials recently hosted a Chinese Friendship Delegation, reporting positive discussions and no indication of tariffs on the panda loan.
• A $1 million annual fee will be paid to China for the pandas, with renovations of the zoo’s lion house underway to create a panda enclosure.
• The zoo has applied for a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service import permit, a process that could take up to a year to complete.
• The project is part of a broader effort to boost zoo attendance, foster cultural ties, and support conservation initiatives.