Giant Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao Arrive in DC

Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao have begun their journey from China to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, marking the return of pandas to the U.S. capital after a 24-year hiatus. The three-year-old pair departed from the Dujiangyan base, equipped with essentials for their flight on a specially chartered FedEx 'Panda Express' jet. Their arrival comes nearly a year after the zoo's previous pandas returned to China, leaving the exhibit empty and longed for by fans. The pandas will be on a 10-year loan agreement, with an annual fee of $1 million supporting conservation efforts in China. Bao Li has a notable connection to the zoo, as he is the offspring of Bao Bao, born there in 2013. The pandas will undergo a 30-day quarantine before their public debut to ensure their health and safety.