Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, first pandas to enter the US in 21 years - make their public debut on August 8, 2024 at the San Diego Zoo. Photo: Chinese Embassy in the US

The public debut of giant pandas has ignited a fresh wave of "panda-mania" as California Governor Gavin Newsom called it, with throngs of media gathered and numerous visitors waiting to see the fuzzy ambassadors in person.

Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, the first pandas to enter the US in 21 years - made their public debut on Thursday at the San Diego Zoo.

"Xin Bao is beautiful. So glad she has a home in the San Diego Zoo, thousands of children will see her and learn about her life," netizen Ann Ho-Gland posted under a post of the zoo. 

"Are they learning American English? So adorable!" a netizen named Melissa wrote. While Annie left her post saying "I am in loooove… adorable!"

"Throngs of media gathered inside the zoo, while the city of San Diego warned of traffic jams ahead of the event Thursday," the AP described the popularity of the two pandas among residents in the city. 

Crowds gathered around them at Thursday's debut to dance, ogle and be a part of the "panda-mania," as California Governor Gavin Newsom called it, local news news5cleveland reported. 

Calling them "celebrity residents," AP said the fuzzy ambassadors "seemed unfazed by all the attention, sunbathing and chowing down on bamboo in their new home," highlighting that the two totally get used to living the San Diego Zoo after their arrival in June.

Yun Chuan is a 5-year-old male, identifiable by his long, slightly pointed nose. His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007. Xin Bao is a 4-year-old female, best recognized by her large, round face and big, fluffy ears, the zoo said.

"Guests will have an opportunity to visit these remarkable giant pandas, be inspired by their importance, learn about all we do to help conserve them alongside our trusted Chinese partners, and join us to help protect their future," San Diego Zoo told the Global Times citing Paul Baribault, president and CEO of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

Newsom declared August 8 as California Panda Day and recognized the San Diego Zoo as the first institution in the US to initiate a collaborative panda conservation effort with China.

Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng who addressed the public debut said "two little panda fans from California wrote several letters to me proposing giving China grizzly bears in exchange for pandas," eliciting huge laughs among audience. Now their dreams come true even without need to give bears.

The much-anticipated pandas will inject new vitality into California's exchanges with China and contribute to the steady development of China-US relations, Xie said.

The Chinese ambassador welcomed American friends to visit China more often and see with their own eyes how wonderful the country where the giant panda was born is. "Believe me, you will love China as much as you love giant pandas!"

The current round of cooperation will focus on prevention and treatment of major diseases, and protection of habitats and wild giant panda populations, according to Ambassador Xie.

Experts on studying pandas told the Global Times that the continued collaboration between China and the US in protecting giant pandas will contribute to global biodiversity conservation, as well as fostering emotional connections between the two nations.