Australia is famous for its kangaroos, but also has lots of beautiful creatures. It just seems to be a good place for a giant panda to live.
So, you might want to know if there are giant pandas in Australia.
Yes, there are giant pandas in Australia! However, you can only find them in captivity and not in the wild.
The giant pandas you’ll see in Australia are Wang Wang (male) and Fu Ni (female)
They both stay at the Adelaide zoo in Australia. This is the only zoo in Australia where you can see a giant panda.
Let’s get to know about Wang Wang and Fu Ni, the only giant pandas in Australia.
Meet Wang Wang and Fu Ni
Both pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni, are the only adult pandas in Australia. They both stay in the Adelaide Zoo, the second oldest zoo in Australia.
They got the two pandas from China on a loan agreement. Both Wang Wang and Fu Ni were born at the Wolong Giant Panda Research Centre in China.
The male, Wang Wang was born on 31st August 2005 while Fu Ni, the female, was born the next year on August 23rd. So, Wang Wang is currently 16 years old and Fu Ni is 15 years old.
The two pandas have had no cubs together since they came to the zoo. This is because both pandas fail to mate successfully whenever the season comes around.
Nevertheless, the two pandas play a role in the conservation and breeding programs designed to save giant plants around the world.
The zoo doesn’t just keep them. They learn from them too! It could be about their nutritional needs and the way they reproduce.
These kinds of knowledge help to preserve these creatures around the world. Moreover, some of these studies help to create and conserve suitable habitats for giant pandas in the wild.
The zoo is open to all visitors who want to see these pandas. All you need to do is to get your entry tickets online before visiting the zoo.
Adelaide Zoo Information
Address: Frome Rd, Adelaide SA 5000, Australia
Website: adelaidezoo.com.au
Contact No.: +61 8 8267 3255
Are There Giant Pandas in the Wild in Australia?
No! There are no giant pandas living in the wild in Australia. China remains the native home to all wild giant pandas.
There, they can live freely in the wild in their natural habitats. However, all giant pandas outside china live under human care in zoos and conservation centers.
This is also the same case with Australia. The only two giant pandas they have to live in captivity in the Adelaide zoo. So, there’s none living in the wild.
When Did Pandas Come To Australia?
The two pandas came to Australia in November 2009. They are the first giant pandas to come to Australia.
They came from China to Adelaide Zoo in Australia on a 10-year loan agreement. This agreement involved a loan fee of $1M.
That’s the price of having a giant panda in a zoo outside China. Their loan agreement expired in 2019 and the zoo renewed the agreement for 5 more years.
This means Wang Wang and Fu Ni will still live in the zoo till 2024.
Can Pandas Survive in Australia?
Giant pandas cannot survive in the wild in Australia. The habitat there isn’t suitable for a giant panda to survive.
They can only survive in their native home, that’s china. They’re endemic animals.
Moreover, outside their natural habitats in China, it’s difficult for them to breed well. Only very few female pandas have been able to produce cubs in zoos around the world.
This is the same case with Wang Wang and Fu Ni in Australia. Breeding in the zoo they live in has been hard for them.
In Australia, you’ll find about 4 native species of bamboo. This is quite small compared to that of China.
China has the most bamboo in the world and over 500 species. That’s enough food for giant pandas’ survival.
RECOMMENDED READING: What Do Giant Pandas Need to Survive?
Final Thoughts
To sum up, there are giant pandas in Australia. There are two of them living in Adelaide zoo – Wang Wang and Fu Ni.
They came in 2009 under a 10-year loan agreement from China. Since then, they’ve lived in the zoo.
You can’t find any giant pandas living in the wild in Australia. It’s just difficult for giant pandas to survive outside their native habitats in China.
Read our main article, “ What Zoos Have Giant Pandas?”, to other places to find giant pandas around the world.
