Senator The Hon Penny Wong
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Senator The Hon Don Farrell
Federal Minister for Trade and Tourism
The Hon Susan Close MP
Deputy Premier
Minister for Climate, Environment and Water
The Hon Zoe Bettison MP
Minister for Tourism
Giant pandas Xing Qui and Yi Lan have landed in Adelaide this morning after a long journey from China.
Xing Qiu, a male panda born in 2020, and Yi Lan, a female born in 2021, were transported directly to Adelaide Zoo after touching down at Adelaide Airport.
The pair will undergo a month long quarantine period at their new home in Adelaide Zoo's Bamboo Forest which is currently closed to the public. The Bamboo Forest will reopen in January with an official launch to welcome the new pandas.
Xing Qiu was living at the Chengdu Panda Base in China. His name means 'Star Autumn' after the stars in the autumn sky the night he was born. Yi Lan, meaning 'idly blissful', lived at the Ya'an Base in China before arriving to Adelaide.
Adelaide Zoo's former pandas, Wang Wang and Fu-ni, were a major tourism attraction since arriving in 2009, helping to drive local, interstate and overseas visitors.
Visitation increased by 150,000 people in the first year of the panda's arrival in 2009, and for 15 years, the pair continued to be one of the most popular attractions of the Adelaide Zoo.
As put by Penny Wong
Like their predecessors, Xing Qiu and Yi Lan will be the only giant pandas in the southern hemisphere.
I know they will bring joy to tourists from across the country and overseas, and pay dividends to the state's tourism sector over the next decade.
The Albanese Labor Government is proud to partner with the SA Government and ZoosSA, to make this possible.
I am looking forward to welcoming Xing Qiu and Yi Lan to Adelaide, and visiting the Adelaide Zoo with my daughters early next year, once the pandas are out of quarantine.
As put by Don Farrell
It's great to see two new pandas come to the Adelaide Zoo. Wang Wang and Funi drove visitation not just to the zoo but to Adelaide in general.
Pandas are such majestic creatures and I'm sure once Xing Qiu and Yi Lan have settled in we will see a spike in visitors coming to see them up close.
I know many families have enjoyed coming to see the pandas at Adelaide Zoo just like my family has. And the two new pandas will give many families another reason to have a great day out at the Zoo.
As put by Susan Close
South Australians have been eagerly awaiting Xing Qiu and Yi Lan and we are pleased they have finally arrived.
I know many South Australians are thrilled there is a continued panda presence at the Adelaide Zoo and we thank the People's Republic of China for their generosity.
Wang Wang and Funi were major drawcards at the Adelaide Zoo, delighting visitors from across the world.
The arrival of the new pandas is further evidence of the strengthening relationship with China, our state's largest export market and a very important economic partner.
I thank the Adelaide Zoo and its Chinese counterpart for ensuring the safe arrival of these wonderful animals.
As put by Zoe Bettison
We are so excited to be welcoming the new pair of giant pandas to Adelaide.
Pandas are an absolutely iconic species, loved by the world over and the feeling of seeing them up close is something visitors treasure when they come to Adelaide and visit the Adelaide Zoo.
As the only two pandas in Australia, and in the Southern hemisphere, Xing Qiu and Yi Lan will be tourism drawcards for our state giving visitors from interstate and overseas another reason to visit South Australia.
With the reintroduction of China Southern Airlines this week, and the arrival of our new pair of pandas today, the connection between South Australia and China is stronger than ever.
Their much-anticipated arrival to Adelaide will be a wonderful celebration of Chinese New Year next month when, as well as welcoming in the year of the Snake, Adelaide Zoo will be welcoming Xing Qiu and Yi Lan to their new home.
