Two new giant pandas made their public debut at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC on Friday morning amid growing excitement about newcomers to the nation’s capital, quickly dubbed by some media outlets as “pandamonium”.
The three-year-old pandas, Qing Bao, whose name means “green treasure” in Mandarin, and Bao Li, whose name means “active and vital power”, arrived in the US from China last October, making them the first pandas to come to DC from China in 24 years, but have been in quarantine since.
They quickly captured the affection and hearts of the staff and volunteers, zoo officials said earlier this month.
Bao Li already has a connection to the National Zoo. His mother was born there in 2013, and his grandparents, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, lived at the zoo from 2000 to 2023.
The previous pair of pandas in DC were returned to China in November 2023 after a 10-year loan. The new pandas will stay in the US until April 2034.
In a statement, Brandie Smith, the John and Adrienne Mars director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, said that giant pandas have been key to Washington DC’s culture for over 50 years.
“We are excited to welcome panda fans back to the zoo – the only place in the nation where you can see giant pandas for free – and celebrate the newest chapter of our giant panda breeding and conservation program,” she said.
Since the first pandas arrived in DC in 1972, the National Zoo has worked together with Chinese scientists on research aimed at protecting these unique bears.
The researchers say that their efforts are yielding positive results. In 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature announced that the giant panda had been reclassified from “endangered” to “vulnerable” on the global list of species at risk of extinction.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are currently just over 1,800 pandas living in the wild.
To commemorate Bao Li and Qing Bao’s debut in DC, the zoo is hosting events from 24 January to 9 February, including a Lunar New Year event and a screening of Kung Fu Panda.
The Zoo has also relaunched the “giant panda cam”, streaming live from 7am to 7pm daily, for virtual visitors to join in on the fun.
On Friday morning, the pandas could be seen on the cameras eating bamboo and playing in the snow. Bao Li has been described as outgoing, playful and curious, while Qing Bao is more reserved and independent.
