There are new arrivals to the Smithsonian National Zoo! Two giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, recently arrived after a 19 hour flight from Chengdu China to Washington DC on October 15, 2024. Their arrival has caused excitement from many visitors due to their nearly a year long absence from the zoo.
The previous residents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian were returned to China towards the end of 2023, however many people were sad to see them go. Bao Li and Qing Bao, who are currently here on a 10-year loan from China, are adjusting to the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat.
Prior to their arrival in the US, they were quarantined to prevent the spread of any diseases and to prepare them for their new environment. Both the National Zoo staff and Bao Li and Qing Bao’s Chinese keepers monitored the pandas throughout their journey to the U.S. The Chinese keepers will briefly stay in the U.S. to work together with the national zoo staff to help ease the transition. This helps the pandas become comfortable with their environment and the new people around them.
The David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat area of the zoo is currently closed in order for Bao Li and Qing Bao to adapt to their new home. The pandas will make their public debut on January 24, 2025 which coincides with the Chinese Lunar New Year. Their welcoming event will include a series of celebrations to honor their arrival.
Once Bao Li and Qing Bao make their public debut, the National Zoo will relaunch its popular “Giant Panda Cam,” allowing viewers worldwide to watch the pandas in real-time. The Panda Cam was a huge hit with fans, receiving 100 million views with the zoo’s previous pandas, Mei Xing, Tian Tian, and their cubs. With the return of pandas to the zoo, fans can tune in to observe Bao Li and Qing Bao’s daily routines.
Bao Li and Qing Bao’s arrival symbolizes the continuation of “panda diplomacy” where China loans giant pandas to other countries as a symbol of goodwill and a way to improve diplomatic relations. Pandas are native to China which makes them a novelty and this results in a massive interest from a multitude of countries.
The Smithsonian National Zoo has hosted giant pandas since 1972, when Hsing-Hsing and Ling Ling became the first pandas in the U.S following President Nixon’s historic visit to China. This tradition continued with Mei Xiang and Tian Tian who arrived in 2000 and their children Xiao Qi Ji, Bei Bei, Bao Bao, and Tai Shan who were returned in 2023.
The arrival of Bao Li and Qing Bao may indicate that tensions between America and China are easing.
