Qing Bao means “green” and “treasure” in Mandarin. Now 3, she and partner Bao Li are expected to be guests of the zoo through 2034.
National ZooSpecial Report
Pandamonium
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo is one of the top leaders in giant panda conservation
Highlights
The National Zoo's Giant Pandas Are Finally Making Their Public Debut
Bao Li and Qing Bao, both 3 years old, are the latest black-and-white bears to call the nation's capital home
Revisit 51 Years of Pandas at the National Zoo
The Panda House's eight occupants have played a key role in conservation efforts over the decades
14 Fun Facts About Giant Pandas
Mother Mei Xiang’s annual ambiguous maternal behaviors always deliver heightened anticipation at the National Zoo
National Treasure
The Giant Panda Steals Hearts (and Bamboo) at the National Zoo
Latest News
Eleven Fascinating Acquisitions That Joined the Smithsonian’s Vast Collections in 2024
This year, the Institution collected everything from the stunning shell of an extinct cephalopod to a Blue Origin rocket booster
The Smithsonian National Zoo’s New Giant Pandas Will Make Their Public Debut on January 24
A pair of 3-year-old giant pandas—a male named Bao Li and a female called Qing Bao—have officially arrived at the Zoo, where they will first acclimate to their new home
Two Pandas Arrive at the San Diego Zoo, the First to Enter the U.S. in 21 Years
For months, the only pandas in the country had been in Atlanta. Next, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., are expected to also receive pandas this year
Giant Pandas Are Coming Back to Washington, D.C.
A pair of the bears will arrive at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo by the end of 2024
More Giant Pandas Are Coming to the U.S. in a New Loan From China
China plans to send a male and a female panda to the San Diego Zoo as early as this summer, and negotiations are underway for pandas’ possible return to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
The National Zoo’s Giant Pandas Bid Washington, D.C. Farewell
The three beloved bears will depart for China later today, traveling in style on a FedEx cargo plane
Revisit 51 Years of Giant Pandas at the National Zoo, From Beloved Babies to Fun in the Snow
The Panda House’s eight occupants have played a key role in conservation efforts over the decades
Why the National Zoo Is Saying Goodbye to Its Giant Pandas
Staff remain hopeful that members of the threatened species will be back in Washington in the near future
Fully Intact Giant Panda Skeleton Discovered in Chinese Emperor’s 2,000-Year-Old Tomb
Archaeologists previously found a panda skull in a nearby Han burial, but its torso was missing
These Extinct Pandas Once Roamed Bulgaria
The bears are a close relative of today’s giant pandas and likely ate soft plant materials, not bamboo
Learn More About the Species
Giant Panda Mating Calls Say a Lot About Them
Panda love grunts are packed with information, like size of the potential mate and more, but long distance calls are less reliable
Pandas Weren't Always Picky Eaters
A new study suggests the all-bamboo diet was adopted in the recent past, not millions of years ago
Panda Habitat Is Severely Fragmented, Placing Pandas at Risk
Despite recent habitat improvements, roads and development are isolating panda populations
People and Pandas
How America Fell in Love With the Giant Panda
A French missionary, Teddy Roosevelt’s sons, and a widowed socialite all factor into the tale of how the nation fell in love with the rare beast
Why Photographing Pandas Is More Challenging Than You Might Think
Photojournalist Ami Vitale describes her years of work capturing the lovable furballs
It’s Easy to Fall in Love With a Panda. But Do They Love Us Back?
Keepers admire them, but have no illusions. Pandas are solitary creatures