On Tuesday, two giant pandas, a female named Qing Bao and a male named Bao Li, arrived at Dulles International Airport and headed to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., coming from Chengdu, China. Their arrival occurs nearly a year after the zoo said goodbye to its previous giant pandas, Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and Xiao Qi Ji in November.

While the National Zoo hasn’t shared specific details regarding the pandas’ arrival for security reasons, they did hint at the event on social media, announcing that the zoo would be closed to visitors on October 15.

Bao Li (BOW-lee) is a 3-year-old male whose mother, Bao Bao, was born at the institute in 2013. His grandparents, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, lived at the National Zoo from 2000 until 2023. Qing Bao (ching-BOW) is a 3-year-old female, born to parents Qing Qing and Jia Mei.

Giant pandas are a significant attraction in Washington, D.C. For over fifty years, the National Zoo has established and upheld one of the world’s leading giant panda conservation initiatives, aiding in the shift of the panda’s status from “endangered” to “vulnerable” on the global extinction list.

Where do giant pandas live?

Central China possesses the only natural habitat for giant pandas and is home to the majority of the world’s giant panda population. The World Wildlife Fund reports that there are currently 1,864 living pandas.

Timeline of panda diplomacy in the U.S.

Pandas have served as symbols of diplomacy between the U.S. and China since 1972, when China presented a pair of pandas to the National Zoo in Washington. Sharing pandas with zoos in the U.S. and other nations fosters reproduction efforts and helps protect the species from extinction.

Since 1972, four zoos in the U.S. have hosted pandas.

When did San Diego Zoo receive their giant pandas?

Yun Chuan and Xin Bao arrived at the San Diego Zoo on June 27, with their public debut on August 8.

Yun Chuan is a 5-year-old friendly male panda, noted for his gentle and lovable demeanor. His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at San Diego Zoo in 2007 to Bai Yun and Gao Gao. Xin Bao is a 4-year-old female panda born at Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base, recognized as a gentle, witty introvert with a sweet round face and large ears.

This story was updated to correct a name error and to include new information.

SOURCE: Reporting and research from YSL News Network; IUCN; World Wildlife Federation; Pandas International; Smithsonian’s National Zoo; Reuters