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Washington: 2 giant pandas arrived at the Washington Zoo on Tuesday as part of China's proceeding "panda diplomacy" attempt.
Bao Li, a male, and Qing Bao, a female, were flown from Chengdu to Dulles Airport in Virginia aboard a FedEx Boeing 777F cargo plane named the "Panda Express," as stated by the Smithsonian National Zoo.
The 3-year-old pandas were then transferred to trucks and taken to their new home in the U.S. city.
"Bao Li and Qing Bao exited their crates and began discovering their new indoor habitats, where keepers generously gave plenty of bamboo for them to enjoy," according to a zoo release.
The Pandas are getting settled into their new environment at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat. They will go through a 30-day quarantine and won’t be on public display till January 24, 2025.
"We're excited to welcome Bao Li and Qing Bao to Washington". Director of the National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute Brandie Smith said. "Today marks a joyful event of a new chapter in our 52-year-long giant panda breeding and conservation program."
Only a selective of these beloved black-and-white bears remain in the US, as most were returned to China in recent years under pre-arranged agreements, including all three of the National Zoo's pandas in last year's November.
Many people saw the absence of immediate replacements as a reflection of the increased tensions between Washington and Beijing.
China has been practicing "panda diplomacy" since 1972, when the 1st pandas were gifted to Washington following U.S. President Richard Nixon's significant visit to the Communist country.
Chinese President Xi Jinping said after his meeting with President Joe Biden at a summit in California last November that China may send new giant pandas as "envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American people."
In August, the San Diego Zoo welcomed two jumbo pandas, marking the 1st such arrival from China to the US in 21 years.
Restorations have been made at the National Zoo's panda habitat "to improve safety and maximize space for the bears," as assured by the zoo's website.
The new facilities are - shallow pools for the pandas to bathe and bamboo stands designed to encourage the bears to practice foraging tactics they would use in the wild.
A popular Giant Panda Cam will be re-introduced once the bears kick off to publicly in January.