The long-awaited return of the giant panda is upon us. The Smithsonian National Zoo’s new beloved giant pandas, Bao Li, meaning active and vital power in Mandarin Chinese, and Qing Bao, meaning green treasure in Mandarin Chinese, are now making public appearances.
In October 2024, Bao Li and Qing Bao were flown to the United States on a 19-hour FedEx flight named “Panda Express” and had to quarantine until January 24th of this year. Between October and January, Bao Li and Qing Bao have been getting accustomed to their new environment. The Smithsonian Panda Cam is also back up and running after a more than year-long hiatus. On the Panda Cam, you can see Bao Li and Qing Bao sleeping, playing, eating bamboo, and crawling around their enclosure.
Many giant pandas live in the wild, on 67 reservations located in central China that are equal in size to three times the size of Yellowstone National Park. Though giant pandas are known for eating bamboo, their digestive systems more closely resemble those of carnivores, meaning they can also eat other foods. Giant pandas are generally docile animals but may attack if they feel threatened. The giant panda is a vulnerable species, with less than 2,000 giant pandas currently living in the wild, and 600 giant pandas living in captivity, 500 of which are in China. Through the International Giant Panda Conservation Program, the longest-running program of its kind, giant pandas are no longer endangered.
On the first day the pandas were available for the public to view, a massive festival took place. The two weeks of events that are scheduled to follow have been dubbed “the District of Panda.” Events at the initial ceremony included a brass band, people dancing in panda costumes and panda headbands, and a ribbon-cutting ceremony. There are two weeks of panda-related ceremonies planned, including a Lunar New Year celebration, and a screening of Dreamworks’s “Kung Fu Panda” at the zoo.
Loaning giant pandas to the United States from China has been seen as a matter of international diplomacy, with a history dating back to 1972, when President Richard Nixon made a historic visit to China. With rising international tensions between the U.S. and many of its allies with China, it was unclear if giant pandas were going to make a return to the Smithsonian National Zoo. In the last few years, many diplomatic panda loans expired in Washington D.C., the San Diego Zoo and Zoo Atlanta, and other countries. Pandas whose loans expired were returned to China.
D.C. residents have expressed joy at having pandas back at the zoo. On a visit to the zoo by Tattler staff on January 29, many zoo-goers could be spotted in panda hoodies and headbands, and many surrounding restaurants and other businesses sported panda-themed stickers and decorations. Hundreds of enthusiastic zoo-goers swarmed the Giant Panda Exhibit. One D.C. resident at the zoo, who was very excited to share his experience visiting the pandas gushed, “They were sleeping, but they were very cute.” More than 14,000 passes were reserved for the first weekend the pandas were available to the public. Passes are free, but in high demand, so be sure to reserve a pass ahead of time!
