Giant pandas from China returning to Smithsonian National Zoo

May 29, 2024

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Shea Taylor (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

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Pandas are returning to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., in 2024. The zoo celebrated the news Wednesday, May 29, in a video announcement featuring first lady Jill Biden.

It’s official: the pandas are coming to D.C.!

Alongside @FLOTUS, we’re thrilled to announce that by the end of this year, the Zoo will once again be home to two giant pandas. #DCPandas pic.twitter.com/BGJjjaUVve
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) May 29, 2024

The bears, named Qing Bao and Bao Li, are both two-years-old and set to arrive by the end of 2024 through a partnership with the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

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Bao Li has family roots in Washington. He is the son of Bao Bao, a female giant panda who was born at the zoo in 2013. He’s also the grandson of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, the panda couple that left the zoo in November 2023.

At the time, Smithsonian staff called the departure a “hiatus,” but Chinese officials had yet to clarify the future of the program. The return of the beloved bears marks a new chapter of decades of “panda diplomacy.”

More pandas are set to arrive in other parts of the country as well. In April, it was announced China would send giant pandas to San Francisco’s zoo for the first time ever. In February, the San Diego Zoo announced it would welcome two panda residents.

Tags: China, Jill Biden, Pandas, Washington DC, Wildlife, zoo

[KARAH RUCKER]

PANDAS ARE RETURNING TO THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THIS YEAR.

[JILL BIDEN]

“It’s official, the pandas are coming back to D.C.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

THE ZOO CELEBRATED THE NEWS TODAY IN A VIDEO ANNOUNCEMENT FEATURING FIRST DR. LADY JILL BIDEN.

THE TWO-YEAR-OLD OLD BEARS – FEMALE QING BAO AND MALE BAO LI – ARE SET TO ARRIVE BY THE END OF 2024 THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHINA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION.

BAO LI HAS FAMILY ROOTS IN D.C. HE’S THE SON OF BAO BAO, A FEMALE GIANT PANDA BORN AT THE ZOO IN 2013.

HE’S ALSO THE GRANDSON OF MEI XIANG AND TIAN TIAN, THE BELOVED PANDA COUPLE THAT LEFT THE ZOO IN NOVEMBER.