New Pandas

 

The National Zoo in Washington DC announced that they will receive 2 new Pandas from China by a new agreement signed with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWSA.)

It involves the transfer of the two giant Pandas recommended for breeding to be under the care of the National Zoo for a decade.

Meanwhile, the National Zoo will pay a $1 Million Dollar annual fee to the CWSA to support their research and conservation efforts.

Both pandas and any of their offspring will remain under the ownership of China, and any cubs born will be moved back to China by the age of four.

It comes 6 months after China took back all their Pandas from the National Zoo when Diplomatic Relations with the US and China soured.

 Bao Li (Male) whose name means “treasure” and “energetic” in Mandarin Chinese, already has a deep connection to D.C.: his Mom (Bao Bao) was born here in 2013, and his Grandparents (Mei Xiang and Tian Tian) were part of the Zoo’s program for over 20 years. Bao Li was born in 2021 at the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in Sichuan, China and currently lives at the Shenshuping Base in Wolong.

Qing Bao (Female), whose name means “green” and “treasure” in Mandarin Chinese, was also born in 2021 at the CCRCGP. Qing Bao lives at Dujiangyan Base in Sichuan.

China first gifted the US Pandas in 1972.