After a long flight and journey, a pair of giant pandas named Bao Li and Qing Bao arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. The 3-year-old male and female pandas come from China and are part of a 10-year residence in the nation’s capital. The arrival of these pandas comes weeks before the presidential election and follows concerns about “panda diplomacy” being affected by geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China.
The pandas were transported from China to the U.S. in special FedEx trucks accompanied by a motorcade and were provided with essential supplies like bamboo shoots, corn buns, and medicine for their journey. The pandas will stay at the National Zoo, which had been without pandas since November when previous adult pandas were returned to China.
The arrival of Bao Li and Qing Bao follows the recent transfer of pandas to other American zoos, including San Diego and the upcoming pair to San Francisco. Pandas are a symbol of friendship between the U.S. and China, with the first pair of pandas given to the U.S. in 1972. China leases pandas to more than 20 countries for conservation efforts, with the goal of protecting the species, which is no longer considered endangered but still faces challenges in the wild.
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