While honoring the terms of the Zoo’s conservation loan agreement with the People’s Republic of China, it was difficult for SDZG and the pandas' many fans to say farewell to the two much-loved giant pandas, Bai Yun and Xiao Liwu (seen here). However, SDZG's conservation efforts on behalf of this iconic species would continue. “Thanks to the work we’ve done, we have met the initial conservation goals we set more than 25 years ago,” said Carmi Penny, director of Collections Husbandry Science at the San Diego Zoo. “Now, we must look to the future with a new set of objectives—and, along with our collaborators in China, we want to build on our conservation successes while attaining a deeper understanding of the giant panda.”