Four giant pandas will arrive at two U.S. zoos later this year, an announcement that comes after three beloved bears from the nation’s capital were returned to China last November.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute announced Wednesday that two giant pandas will arrive at the zoo by the end of 2024. And in April, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced it will also welcome two giant pandas this summer.
Here’s what we know about the pandas coming to the US
Who are the pandas coming to DC?
The National Zoo will welcome two new pandas, named Bao Li and Qing Bao, as part of its conservation partnership with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. The zoo announced the news in a video posted to X featuring U.S. First Lady Jill Biden and zoo staff.
“For more than 50 years, the zoo’s pandas have brought joy to everyone who saw them and are one of our greatest conservation success stories,” said Brandie Smith, John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Zoo, in the video.
“It is especially meaningful to have them at the National Zoo, where people can visit the pandas in person for free or watch them on the panda cam with millions of people around the world,” said Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III, in the video. .
Bao Li is a male panda, born on August 4, 2021. In Mandarin, “Bao” means “precious” and “treasure” and “Li” refers to vitality and strength. His name means an active and vital power, according to zoo website.
Qing Bao is a female panda, born on September 12, 2021. In Mandarin, her name means “green” and “treasure,” the zoo said on its website.
“We can’t wait to celebrate this historic moment here in our nation’s capital,” the first lady said in the video. “It’s official! Pandas are coming back to DC!”
See more information: The National Zoo’s giant panda, Bao Bao, has left for China
Who are the pandas that come to San Diego?
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced on April 29 that leaders from its conservation and care team recently visited China for a meeting with conservation partners from the China Wildlife Conservation Association. While there, they met the two bears, named Yun Chuan and Xin Bao.
Yun Chuan is almost five years old and a male panda. Officials said in a Press release that he is “polite, kind and kind”. His mother, Zhen Zhen, was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007. Zhen Zhen was returned to China in 2010, according to NBCSan Diego. Yun Chuan was named in part after her grandmother, Bai Yun, who lived at the San Diego Zoo for 23 years. Bai Yun was returned to China in 2019, according to NPR. The second character in his name, “Chuan,” is a reference to his home province of Sichuan, China.
Xin Bao is a female panda who is almost four years old. She was born at the Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base in Sichuan. Authorities said she is “a kind, witty introvert with a sweet, round face and large ears.” Her name means “a new treasure of prosperity and abundance,” according to the zoo’s press release.
“It was an honor to see Yun Chuan and Xin Bao in person and meet our conservation partners who care for them at Wolong and Bifengxia Panda Bases,” said Dr. Megan Owen, vice president of conservation science at the San Diego Zoo, in the press release. press. “Yun Chuan’s lineage has deep connections to the San Diego Zoo and we are excited about the prospect of caring for them.”
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
