2 new giant pandas are returning to Washington's National Zoo from China by the end of the year

Two elephantine pandas are coming to Washington's National Zoo from China by the extremity of the year.

The zoo made the announcement Wednesday, astir fractional a twelvemonth aft it sent its 3 pandas backmost to China.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute said the brace of pandas are Bao Li (pronounced BOW'-lee) and Qing Bao (ching-BOW'). Giant pandas are icons successful Washington, D.C., and beloved astir the federation and the world. For much than 5 decades, the institute has created and maintained 1 of the world's foremost elephantine panda conservation programs, helping determination the panda from "endangered" to "vulnerable" connected the planetary database of taxon astatine hazard of extinction.

"We're thrilled to denote the adjacent section of our breeding and conservation concern begins by welcoming 2 caller bears, including a descendent of our beloved panda family, to Washington, D.C.," said Brandie Smith, the institute's John and Adrienne Mars director. "This historical infinitesimal is impervious affirmative our collaboration with Chinese colleagues has made an irrefutable impact. Through this partnership, we person grown the panda population, precocious our shared knowing of however to attraction for this beloved carnivore and learned what's needed to support chaotic pandas and sphere autochthonal habitat."

In the video announcement released contiguous connected the insitutue's societal media channels, archetypal woman Dr. Jill Biden joined Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III and Smith to uncover pandas are coming backmost to the nation's capital. This quality comes conscionable six months aft elephantine pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and their cub, Xiao Qi Ji, went to China past November, prompting a nationwide outpouring of farewell from millions of panda fans of each ages.

Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute via YouTube