Two giant pandas, named Qing Bao and Bao Li, are on the way to Washington, DC, from China, The Washington Post reports.
The China Wildlife Conservation Association announced today that the two pandas, both 3 years old, are departing from China to take up residence at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC. They will arrive nearly one year after the zoo’s last group of panda residents — Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and cub Xiao Qi Ji — departed.
The zoo announced in May that pandas would be joining the zoo by the end of the year, but it has not released any additional details about when they will arrive or when they will be visible to visitors.
Bao Li, whose name means “treasure” and “energetic” in Mandarin, is related to pandas who have previously lived in DC. His mother, Bao Bao, was born at the National Zoo in 2013, and his grandparents are Mei Xiang and Tian Tian. Qing Bao is slightly younger, and her name means “green” and “treasure.”
The arrival of these new pandas signifies the resumption of an animal conservation program that has allowed Chinese-owned pandas to reside in DC. The program dates back more than 50 years.
The terms of the new agreement are similar to those in the past: The adult pandas and any offspring will remain the property of China, while the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute conduct research projects in collaboration with China. NZCBI will pay an annual fee of $1 million to support research and conservation efforts in China.
The new agreement is effective until April 2034.
Once the pandas arrive, standard procedure dictates that the animals must be quarantined for at least 30 days to reduce risk of disease and parasites and to get adjusted to their new surroundings.
“This historic moment is proof positive our collaboration with Chinese colleagues has made an irrefutable impact,” said Brandie Smith, NZCBI’s John and Adrienne Mars Director, in a news release in May. “Through this partnership, we have grown the panda population, advanced our shared understanding of how to care for this beloved bear and learned what’s needed to protect wild pandas and preserve native habitat.”
FedEx will serve as the dedicated transportation partner to move the pandas, with a dedicated flight and transportation team. The pandas’ animal care team from China will accompany them on the ride.
“We look forward to once again calling the FedEx Panda Express into service and using our logistical expertise to safely move Qing Bao and Bao Li to Washington, DC,” said Richard W. Smith, president and chief executive officer, Airline and International, FedEx. “It’s a privilege to take part in this next phase of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s giant panda program and provide the safest and most comfortable transportation for these beloved animals.”
Feature image of Qing Bao, left, and Bao Li, right, by Roshan Patel, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine’s News newsletter.
