Brandi Smith, the director of the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., stated on the 16th local time that the giant pandas “Baoli” and “Qingbao,” who arrived at the Washington Zoo a day earlier, are currently “doing well” and are “exploring their new environment.”
On the 15th of this month, giant pandas “Baoli” and “Qingbao” arrived in the U.S. from Chengdu, China, after a 19-hour flight, beginning their 10-year residency.
In an interview with the China News Service, Smith mentioned that she visited “Baoli” and “Qingbao” in the morning. Despite the long flight, they are in “good condition,” with “Baoli” playing on a climbing structure and “Qingbao” eating bamboo.
Panda keeper Laurie Thompson told reporters that the zoo has prepared a variety of food for the pandas, including lots of bamboo, apples, carrots, and specially made “panda cakes” based on the formula from their Chinese keepers, similar to what they ate in China. Currently, both pandas are eating and sleeping normally as they adjust to their new environment.
According to the staff, the two pandas have very different personalities: “Baoli” is very lively and enjoys climbing up and down, while “Qingbao” is more cautious and carefully explores its new home.
“Baoli” and “Qingbao” were born in August and September 2021, respectively. “Baoli’s” mother is “Bobo,” who was born at the Washington National Zoo, and its maternal grandparents are “Tian Tian” and “Mei Xiang,” who resided at the Washington National Zoo for over 20 years.
According to zoo officials, “Baoli” and “Qingbao” will officially meet the public on January 24 next year. Before that, the two pandas will undergo at least 30 days of quarantine, starting small-scale exhibitions for volunteers and members in mid-December. Veterinarian James Steeil, responsible for the pandas’ health, told reporters that this arrangement is made entirely for the pandas’ welfare, ensuring they can fully adapt to their environment.
The staff at the Washington Zoo are excited about the arrival of the pandas after nearly a year. Smith expressed that the pandas hold “great significance” for the entire city of Washington, the Washington Zoo, and for her personally, bringing her “a lot of joy,” and she is eager to learn more about these two pandas.
“CNN” reported that the competition for introducing giant pandas to U.S. zoos is very fierce, leading to enthusiastic crowds. In 1972, the first pair of giant pandas to arrive in the U.S., “Ling Ling” and “Hsing Hsing,” attracted about 20,000 people when they first appeared publicly, and since then, giant pandas have become stars of the zoo. Last month, the San Diego Zoo, which welcomed two giant pandas named “Yunchuan” and “Xinbao” on the same day as the National Zoo, announced the launch of its own panda live-streaming video.
The U.S. news outlet “DCNewsNow” anticipates increased regional economic activity due to the “panda fever.” The report quoted Larry Liang, a professor of tourism and hospitality management at George Washington University, who stated that with the return of giant pandas, a large number of tourists are expected to flock to the U.S. capital. This will not only bring visitor traffic to the zoo but also create business opportunities for enterprises in Washington, D.C.
