Official announcements from the Smithsonian National Zoo

Bao Li and Qing Bao, Two Giant Pandas, Arrive at National Zoo Under New 10-Year Agreement

Oct 15, 2024, 02:43 AM

Two giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, arrived at Washington, D.C.'s Smithsonian National Zoo on Tuesday, marking the return of the beloved animals after an 11-month absence. The three-year-old pandas, Bao Li (male) and Qing Bao (female), departed from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on a special FedEx flight nicknamed the 'Panda Express' and landed at Dulles International Airport on Tuesday morning. Their arrival is part of a new 10-year agreement between the National Zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Chinese experts accompanied the pandas to assist them in adapting to their new environment. Mayor Muriel Bowser and U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns welcomed the pandas' return. The National Zoo was closed to the public on Tuesday for the pandas' arrival, and the bears will be quarantined for several weeks before making their public debut. The giant pandas have been a fixture in the nation's capital since President Nixon's visit to China 52 years ago.