Pandas Arrive at National Zoo

For almost 50 years, the National Zoo in Washington D.C. has been home to numerous giant pandas. On January 24th, two new panda cubs joined the animals at the zoo. The cubs are part of a conservation and breeding program, a historic partnership between the U.S. and China.

The partnership started in 1972, when President Nixon made a trip to China, and, as a diplomatic gesture, China gifted the U.S. two giant pandas. This marked the beginning of a scientific partnership between the two countries. 

The countries have worked together to study the breeding habits, diseases, and nutritional and habitat needs of pandas. The U.S. and China are working together to help ensure that giant pandas do not go extinct. They raise awareness for the plight of giant pandas, including how human activity harms these animals. The combined efforts of the two have been paying off; in 2016 the International Union for Conservation of Nature reclassified giant pandas from endangered to vulnerable. 

The most recent pair of pandas at the National Zoo, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, arrived at the zoo in 2000 and had a cub, Xiao Qi Ji, in 2020. The pandas, along with their cub Xiao Qi Ji, were returned to China in November 2023.

The National Zoo has not had pandas since Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and Xiao Qi Ji returned to China. Recently, the U.S. made a new deal. In exchange for two giant pandas, the U.S. will pay China $1 million per year, and aid in conservation efforts. 

The two new cubs began their journey to the U.S. in Chengdu, China. They traveled via a “FedEx Panda Express” Boeing 777F. The 19-hour flight included a refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska. The pandas landed at the Dulles International Airport in Northern Virginia.

Qing Bao and Bao Li at the zoo

The zoo received the pandas in October 2024, but they have been in quarantine since then to reduce the risk of spreading possible diseases and parasites to the other animals. On January 24th, Qing Bao and Bao Li made their introduction at the zoo. The two are scheduled to return to China in April 2034, however, previous loans were extended by several years. 

Both of the cubs are three years old. Bao Li already has a connection to the National Zoo; his father is Xiao Qi Ji. The zoo workers have described him as outgoing and playful, while Qing Bao is described as quiet and independent. 

The zoo is hosting many events, including a Lunar New Year celebration and a movie screening, to commemorate the pandas’ arrival. The celebrations started on January 24th, and will continue through February 9th. The National Zoo restarted their “giant panda cam”, live streaming from 7am to 7pm.