The giant panda couple, Bao Li and Qing Bao, have stolen the hearts of thousands since their public debut on January 24. But they are also living reminders that some of the world’s most beloved creatures need our help to survive.
The giant panda pair were brought stateside in October 2024 as part of a historic 50-year conservation partnership between the U.S. and China. While the animal is no longer on the endangered species list, experts say there are less than 2,000 pandas living in the wild. The Smithsonian National Zoo is trying to change that.
In November 2023, the Zoo’s previous giant pandas, Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji, returned to China as their loan agreement ended, coinciding with a period of strained U.S.-China relations. Now under a new agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, Bao Li and Qing Bao will call D.C. home for nearly a decade, inviting visitors to join the fight for panda conservation.
Bao Li and Qing Bao will stay in Washington, D.C., until 2034 under the National Zoo’s agreement, and any cubs they birth will move to China once they turn four.