Two adorable giant pandas embarked on their journey from China to Washington on Monday, marking an exciting return to the National Zoo. It has been less than a year since the zoo bid farewell to the pandas that were on loan from China.
The pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, have left Chengdu and are expected to arrive in Anchorage shortly before 10 p.m. local time, as per FlightAware, a plane tracking service. Following that, the bears will be transported to Dulles, with an estimated landing time of 9:55 a.m. ET on Tuesday.
The National Zoo announced on social media that a colossal event is on its way to Washington, D.C. through the FedEx Panda Express. In a Monday post, they stated, “The Zoo will be closed to the public tomorrow, Oct. 15. For the safety of the pandas and staff, we will not disclose any additional timing.”
The National Zoo initially acquired pandas from China in 1972 following President Richard Nixon’s visit to China to establish diplomatic and trade relations between the United States and China. The Congressional Research Service has noted that China utilizes pandas as a means to pursue diplomatic goals, a phenomenon commonly referred to as panda diplomacy.
In 2000, China sent Mei Xiang and Tian Tian to the National Zoo as part of an agreement with the China Wildlife and Conservation Association. Originally, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian were only supposed to stay in the U.S. for 10 years, but the agreement was extended multiple times. Fast forward to 2020, and the pair of pandas welcomed a cub named Xiao Qi Ji.
Xiao Qi Ji and his parents made their return to China in November of last year. Since their departure, Zoo Atlanta has become the sole zoo in the United States without any giant pandas. It is anticipated that their pandas will also be returning to China sometime this year.
Giant pandas made a triumphant return to the San Diego Zoo this summer after a hiatus since 2019. Adding to the excitement, in May, first lady Dr. Jill Biden joined Smithsonian officials to announce the highly anticipated return of pandas to the nation’s capital.
Bao Li, a 2-year-old male, was born in Sichuan to his father, An An, and his mother, Bao Bao. He already has connections to the U.S. as his mother was born at the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in 2013. Additionally, his grandparents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, resided at the National Zoo from 2000 to 2023.
Qing Bao, the female panda who is heading to the U.S., is also two years old.
After their arrival, the bears will have a few additional weeks to acclimate to their new surroundings before making their first appearance to the public. The Smithsonian Zoo has not disclosed the specific details of the bears’ public debut, but they have assured that it will be announced once the animal care team believes the bears are prepared to meet visitors.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List currently classifies the giant panda as vulnerable.
Red pandas can also be found at the National Zoo.
