After nearly a year without them, the Smithsonian National Zoo is welcoming back two giant pandas Bao Li and Qin Bao. The pandas arrived on Oct. 15 at Dulles International Airport after a nearly 19 hour flight. The plane named the “panda express” arrived at 9:52 am EDT and after the pandas were unloaded they were sent to the zoo for quarantine. The pandas will be under quarantine for a minimum of 30 days after their arrival. They have access to the new enclosure built for them but will not be available to the public until after quarantine.
The pandas were sent to the Smithsonian after an agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Organization (CWCO) to breed and research the giant panda. Since the Smithsonian has had great success in the past with their panda breeding program, the CWCO felt that they could send more pandas our way.
The zoo intends to bring back its popular online attraction, the panda cam, after the pandas become more used to their environment.
For now, the general public can watch panda updates on the Smithsonian website or social media account.
The pandas are set for public display on Jan. 24.
