Giant Panda

What zoos have giant pandas?

The giant panda is one of the rarest animals on Earth — and one of the hardest to see outside China. Today, fewer than 20 institutions worldwide are trusted with these iconic bears as part of China’s carefully managed global breeding programme. If you’re wondering which zoos have giant pandas, the answer is a short but precious list.

Europe is home to only a handful of zoos trusted with giant pandas — each one selected through a formal diplomatic agreement with China, and each participating in strict conservation and breeding protocols (European Endangered Species Programme (EEP)). As of 2026, fewer than ten institutions across the entire continent host these bears, spread across Belgium, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

Every giant panda outside China remains the property of the Chinese government, placed on loan under carefully managed agreements designed to support the global conservation effort. Today, there are currently no giant pandas in any UK zoo. It is a privilege extended to very few.

Among all of them, Pairi Daiza stands out. Hao Hao and Xing Hui have been resident in Belgium since April 2014 — one of the longest-running giant panda loans in Europe — and have produced five cubs in that time, a breeding record that places Pairi Daiza among the most successful panda conservation centres in the world.

For British visitors who want to see a giant panda, the closest option — and arguably the finest in the world — is just across the Channel.