Giants pandas are coming back to the National Zoo in Washington

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has announced the upcoming arrival of a new pair of giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, by the end of the year. This follows the recent return of three pandas, Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and Xiao Qi Ji, to China.

Bao Li (pronounced BOW-lee) is a 2-year-old male, whose mother Bao Bao was born at the institute in 2013, and his grandparents Tian Tian and Mei Xiang resided at the National Zoo from 2000 to 2023. Qing Bao (pronounced ching-BOW) is a 2-year-old female born to Qing Qing and her mother Jia Mei.

In February, China’s Wildlife Conservation Association announced collaboration with the National Zoo to potentially bring more pandas back to the U.S., including to the San Diego Zoo.

Giant pandas hold significant cultural and conservation importance, particularly in Washington, D.C., where the National Zoo has played a pivotal role in their preservation. Over the past five decades, the zoo’s conservation efforts have contributed to moving the giant panda from an “endangered” to a “vulnerable” status on the global list of species at risk of extinction.

The natural habitat for giant pandas is primarily in central China, where the majority of the world’s population of 1,864 pandas resides, according to the World Wildlife Foundation.

Since 1972, pandas have symbolized diplomatic ties between the U.S. and China. The National Zoo received a pair as a gift from China in 1972, marking the beginning of panda diplomacy. This practice involves lending pandas to zoos worldwide to encourage breeding and conservation efforts.

In the U.S., four zoos have hosted pandas since 1972, with agreements typically stipulating the return of cubs before they turn 4 and elderly adults when necessary.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Zoo is gearing up to welcome Yun Chuan and Xin Bao. Yun Chuan, a nearly 5-year-old male, and Xin Bao, a nearly 4-year-old female, are set to join the zoo soon. Yun Chuan is described as mild-mannered and lovable, while Xin Bao is characterized as gentle and witty. Their arrival date in San Diego has yet to be determined.