Giant Pandas Arrive at National Zoo

The Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., welcomed two giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, after an 11-month absence since the departure of three previous pandas. The bears traveled from a research facility in China, arriving via a FedEx flight and escorted by a police motorcade, symbolizing a revival of panda diplomacy amid U.S.-China relations. They will undergo a 30-day quarantine before being introduced to the public, as part of a renewed 10-year conservation agreement that aims to enhance global biodiversity and foster goodwill between the nations. This marks a significant moment in the zoo's history, as pandas have historically represented cooperation between the U.S. and China since the 1970s. The pandemic and previous agreement expiration had raised concerns about the future of panda exchanges, but the new agreement has reignited optimism among panda enthusiasts. Visitors eagerly await the bears' debut, which is anticipated to boost the zoo's tourism appeal.