National Zoo closes to welcome 2 giant pandas from China

Pandas are back in Washington.

Two giant pandas from China arrived in D.C. on Tuesday and were transferred to their new home at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

The pandas, one male and one female, are named Bao Li and Qing Boa, respectively. Born one month apart in 2021, they've been described by prior caregivers as lively 3-year-olds who enjoy climbing.

They landed at Dulles International Airport in Arlington, Virginia, after a 19-hour journey from Chengdu, China. The pandas were transferred to crates and loaded onto FedEx trucks to go to the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat at the National Zoo.

The animal care team reports that they have already exited their crates are exploring their new habitat.

Bao Li is a descendant of Bao Bao, who was born in D.C. in 2013 and lived there through 2017. All giant pandas born at the National Zoo return to China at 4 years old as part of a breeding program that helps protect the longevity of the species, which is currently deemed "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Bao Li and Qing Boa will be quarantined in the panda habitat for a minimum of 30 days. The exhibit is closed to the public until the two giant pandas make their public debut on Jan. 24, 2025.

The wildly popular "Giant Panda Cam" hasn't been turned back on, but on Wednesday, the National Zoo will launch a digital series featuring behind-the-scenes footage of the care team looking after the pandas.

The images will be available on the National Zoo’s social media pages and website.

The pandas' offspring may be able to carry on their diplomatic legacy -- as in the case of Bao Li -- and in some cases they can even be reintroduced to the wild, according to the National Zoo.

In order to prepare for the official transfer of the two giant pandas, Chinese experts made several trips to D.C. to ensure that their safety and well-being would be provided for, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Experts determined that the National Zoo's living spaces, food sources, breeding program and health monitoring were sufficient, the statement said; they also ensured that the pandas would have adequate climbing facilities.

On Monday evening, their journey began with private transport from the China Giant Panda Conservation Research Center to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, where they started preparing for their "special flight" to their new home, according to Xinhua.

The highly anticipated addition of Bao Li and Qing Boa follows the momentous arrival of Yun Chaun and Xin Bao to the San Diego Zoo in June, which was the first time pandas had entered the U.S. in 21 years, after a period of diplomatic strain with China. A continuance this year of the longtime partnership in panda conservation efforts has been interpreted by much of the international community as a gesture of goodwill between the two nations.

The bears' arrival was first teased to the public in May, when the National Zoo released a statement, saying, "Giant pandas are returning to Washington D.C.! As part of our 52-year-old conservation partnership with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, we’re getting ready to welcome two new bears—Bao Li and Qing Bao—by the end of 2024."

The announcement was accompanied by a video on YouTube featuring first lady Jill Biden.

The exact timing of the pandas' arrival to the zoo on Tuesday was not at first announced to the public, for the safety of the bears and the staff. They were accompanied by two breeders and veterinarians from China, who will help them adapt to their new environment.