Visitor statistics released by the Smithsonian's National Zoo

Two Giant Pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, Arrive at D.C.'s National Zoo

Oct 15, 2024, 08:09 AM

Two giant pandas, Bao Li (宝力) and Qing Bao (青宝), have arrived at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., after departing from Dujiangyan in China's Sichuan province. The pandas, both three years old, are part of a new 10-year cooperative breeding and research agreement between China and the United States. Their arrival on October 15, 2024, marks the return of pandas to the National Zoo after an 11-month absence following the departure of Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji back to China. The pandas landed at Washington Dulles International Airport at 9:55 am aboard a special FedEx flight dubbed the 'Panda Express' and were transported to the zoo, which was closed to the public for the day. Chinese keepers and veterinarians accompanied them to assist with their acclimation. Bao Li, the male panda, is the offspring of Bao Bao, a panda previously at the National Zoo, making him a third-generation Washingtonian. The pandas will undergo a quarantine period of about a month before being displayed to the public. Their arrival continues the tradition of 'panda diplomacy' between China and the United States that began after President Richard Nixon's historic 1972 visit to China.