Giant pandas have returned for public viewing at the Washington, D.C., National Zoo after visitors were temporarily deprived of them for months.
China sent the two 3-year-old panda bears, Qing Bao and Bao Li, to the United States in October. The bears have been acclimating to their new home in Washington but will be open to the public Friday.
“For over 50 years, giant pandas have been an integral part of the fabric and culture of Washington, D.C., thanks in large part to the support of the communities that live and work in the District,” Brandie Smith, the National Zoo’s director, said in a statement. “Bao Li and Qing Bao have already won the hearts of our staff and volunteers, and we are excited to welcome panda fans back to the Zoo.”
Additionally, the popular “Panda Cam” has returned, where viewers can tune into live footage of the bears from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. This video stream is the most popular page on the zoo’s website. It has documented many moments of the previous pandas, including panda births, first steps, tumbles, sneezes, and the bears playing in the snow.
Since 1972, the U.S. and China have engaged in panda diplomacy, with the first pandas being sent to the U.S. under former President Richard Nixon. Former first lady Pat Nixon donated them to the National Zoo.
In the late 2010s, China stopped renewing contracts as diplomatic relations grew strained. In 2019, the pandas at the San Diego Zoo returned to China, and late last year, the pandas in Washington also embarked on their return. Washington remained panda-less for 11 months until Qing Bao and Bao Li boarded the FedEx “Panda Express” aircraft late last year.
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Qing Bao and Bao Li were the first pandas China sent to Washington in 24 years. Both pandas will be loaned to the National Zoo for 10 years. The annual fee is a million dollars, which is spent on conservation efforts in China.
The Washington Metro is also teaming up with the National Zoo to release a new limited-edition SmarTrip card that is available at select Metro stations. The panda SmarTrip cards will be available at Woodley Park/Zoo, Cleveland Park, Dupont Circle, Metro Center, and L’Enfant Plaza metro stations.