National Zoo shares new video of giant pandas ahead of public debut in 2025

Zookeepers at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., caused quite a stir on Christmas Day when they released a new video of the zoo’s newest stars, Bao Li and Qing Bao. The two giant pandas are the newest cultural ambassadors given to the United States by China.

In the Instagram video, viewers can see the pandas rolling around, playing and getting familiar with their surroundings.

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The young pandas are fresh out of quarantine after making their journey from a research facility in China to the National Zoo.

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The giant bears have been settling into their new homes since October as zookeepers work to finish their enclosure.

“So we’ve been having some small crowds come through here … so that the pandas can get used to seeing people,” zookeeper Mariel Lally said.

The duo is on a 10-year lease through China’s diplomacy program. Just last year, all three of the zoo’s pandas were sent back to China as agreements expired and international conflict heightened.

The zoo hopes to start mating the pandas in a few years. The goal is to expand its program and usher in a new era of breeding.

The pandas officially make their debut in late January 2025. The National Zoo is also offering a panda cam to view the newest additions.