The innovative space is four times larger than the San Diego Zoo's previous panda habitat and inspired by famous geological formations in China, emulating mountains, canyons and cliffs. It features new shade trees for climbing, a diverse array of plants, and rolling hillsides that allow Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to navigate and explore vertically, according to the zoo.

On Friday, the zoo also released the first video of the two pandas as they continue settling into their new home.

"Not only is the space of the new panda habitat much larger, but also the comfort of panda habitat and the experience of tourists are considered," said Ling Shanshan, a Chinese expert from China, who is helping a local team keeping a close eye on the pandas' health, tracking their weight, appetite and other health indicators on daily basis to ensure they thrive in their new environment.

"The new home helps visitors gain a deeper understanding of panda life," she noted.

San Diego Zoo, one of the most visited zoo in the country, is the first U.S. zoo to have a cooperative conservation program with Chinese partners. Located north of downtown San Diego in Balboa Park, it is home to more than 12,000 rare and endangered animals representing over 680 species and subspecies.

The panda pair were selected from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP), which has conducted scientific research cooperation with San Diego Zoo for over 25 years, with fruitful results in the protection, breeding and disease control of giant pandas, and related public education.

Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. Nearly 1,900 pandas live in the wild, mostly in the provinces of Sichuan and Shaanxi in China, rising from 1,100 in the 1980s.