Giant pandas return to Smithsonian’s National Zoo

A special flight flew halfway around the world to bring two international animal ambassadors back to the nation’s capital.

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Qing Bao and Bao Li, two 3-year-old giant pandas, left China for their new home at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

The Washington Post reported the panda pair’s return is just under a year since the last pandas housed at the Smithsonian Institution’s zoo left the U.S. and returned to China.

The pair was born in China but Bao Li is the son of Bao Bao who was born at the D.C. zoo in 2013 and was the grandchild of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian who also lived at the National Zoo until last year, WRC reported.

Bao Li and Qing Bao left their home at the China Conservation and Research Center, taken to the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport before their flight on Monday, WRC reported.

They flew on a FedEx Boeing 777 cargo jet called the “Panda Express,” from Chengdu, China, to Anchorage and then eventually to Dulles International Airport, landing Tuesday morning.

Panda-monium returns: Smithsonian’s National Zoo will have pandas once again

China Wildlife Conservation Association said the pandas had checkups and were accompanied by veterinarians and zookeepers. The bears also had some flight snacks packed for them, plenty of bamboo, Chinese cornbread and water were on the plane too, the Post reported.

The zoo was closed for the bears’ arrival. It will take a few weeks before they’re on display. They will be here for about 10 years through a breeding and research agreement between China and the U.S., WRC reported.

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Pandas first came to the U.S. on loan from China more than 50 years ago as part of what was called panda diplomacy.

It all started in February 1972 when then-first lady Pat Nixon commented about the pandas during a trip to China.

She had seen a cigarette tin with pandas on it. She told the Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai “Aren’t they cute? I love them.” The official responded, “I’ll give you some.” Nixon asked, “Cigarettes?” and Zhou responded, “No, pandas,” according to the Smithsonian .

In April 1972, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing were sent to the zoo and within the first month of their arrival, more than one million people visited them. They had five cubs, but none lived more than a few days. Ling-Ling died of heart failure in 1992; Hsing-Hsing was euthanized seven years later in 1999 after suffering from kidney disease and other age-related issues.

The zoo had no pandas for a year until Mei Xian and Tian Tian were loaned by China in 2000, the Smithsonian said.