🐼 San Francisco Zoo’s Giant Panda Saga: A Rollercoaster Journey 🎢

SFZ’s panda project has faced endless delays—originally slated for 2024, the furry stars now aim to arrive in Spring 2026 🌸. Here’s a timeline of twists and turns: April 2024: Mayor signs panda deal with China’s forestry bureau . June 2024: Board approves $25M fundraising for panda housing 💸. Oct 2024: Animal welfare committee slams “outdated, unsafe” facilities ⚠️. Dec 2024: Panda exhibit design unveiled; planning permit filed . Dec 2024: Zoo audits finances amid donor backlash 🔍. Jan 2025: Major donor McNellis pulls funding 💸; deputy director Vitus Leung resigns . Jan 2025: Activists demand CEO Tanya Peterson’s resignation over “mismanagement” 🗣️. April 2025: Exhibit renovation greenlit! Peterson vows “progress” 🚧. May 2025: Animal rights group urges Peterson’s ouster; board reaffirms support 🤝. Risk committee chair Matthew Miller quits in protest . 🏗️ Exhibit Preview: The panda zone (former lion enclosure) gets a makeover: Outdoor: Split into two areas with rockwork, pools, trees, and glass barriers 🌳🪨. Indoor: Two rooms (63㎡ & 70㎡) + three dens (41㎡, 39㎡, 37㎡) 🏠. Nursery: 12㎡ space for cubs 🐾. Cost: $8M for 3,713㎡ of habitat 💲. #PandasInSF #ZooDrama #WildlifeConservation 🐾✨