After nearly a year apart, giant pandas are back in Washington, D.C! The National Zoo’s beloved pandas returned after their stay in China.

On Tuesday, just after departing from Chengdu, Sichuan in China, the 3-year-old panda duo, male Bao Li and female Qing Bao, arrived at Dulles International Airport via a FedEx cargo flight humorously dubbed the “Panda Express.” The zoo was closed for the day to facilitate their transfer to their new environment, as shared on social media.

To help them adapt to their new habitat, the pandas will undergo a month-long quarantine, meaning visitors won’t get to see them immediately. They will stay in the U.S. for the next decade as part of a recent agreement.

Here are some interesting facts about giant pandas that you might not know:

Bao Li: A Washington Legacy

Bao Li is not just any panda; he’s the third generation of his family to reside in Washington. His mother, Bao Bao, was born at the National Zoo in 2013 before being sent back to China in 2017.

Bao Li’s grandparents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, spent over 20 years living in D.C. before returning to China last November. The pair was highly popular at the zoo and arrived in the U.S. in 2000, but there were unsuccessful attempts to renew their conservation agreement.

“Bao Li has a vibrant personality; he reminds me a lot of his grandfather, Tian Tian,” said Mariel Lally, a National Zoo panda keeper, to CNN.

Pandas: Surprisingly Strong Bites!

While pandas are famous for munching on bamboo, they possess one of the most powerful bite forces among carnivores. Their biting strength ranks just below that of lions, tigers, brown bears, and polar bears.

This remarkable jaw strength comes from their need to chew tough bamboo, resulting in strong jaw muscles capable of a significant bite, according to Zoo Atlanta. When they eat, their ears and eyes often move due to the muscle action, which extends through their heads.

What’s on a Panda’s Plate? Eating All Day!

Bamboo constitutes around 99% of a panda’s diet, with them devoting 10 to 14 hours daily to eating, as reported by the San Diego Zoo.

Since they struggle with digestion, much of what they eat doesn’t provide nutritional benefits; they must consume massive amounts to stay healthy—sometimes around 70 to 100 pounds of bamboo a day, according to the National Zoo. They also enjoy dietary supplements such as nutritional biscuits, carrots, sweet potatoes, and apples.

Previous panda residents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, liked fruit-flavored treats, with Xiao Qi Ji enjoying grape flavor while his mother preferred apple juice flavor.

How Do Pandas Communicate?

Adult pandas tend to be solitary creatures, but they communicate using scent markings and sounds. They mark their territory on tree trunks, rocks, or the ground, allowing other pandas to know they are nearby. Their scent can even be detected by humans up close.

Moreover, pandas are quite vocal as noted by the San Diego Zoo; they express themselves through various sounds like bleats, honks, huffs, barks, and growls.

Giant Pandas: Vulnerable but Not Endangered Anymore

As of 2021, giant pandas are no longer classified as endangered in China, with their population exceeding 1,800, marking them as “vulnerable” according to the country’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) removed pandas from the endangered species list in 2016, but Chinese authorities held onto the previous classification for a few more years. The IUCN first categorized them as endangered in 1990 and later revised their status to vulnerable, largely due to successful conservation and reforestation efforts.

China has also dedicated decades to combating poaching, although climate change continues to pose a threat to their habitats, as highlighted by the National Zoo.

“Efforts to restore giant pandas’ habitats and enhance breeding in human care have been crucial,” added the National Zoo.