Panda lover news: 2 more giant pandas are coming to the National Zoo in 2024

WASHINGTON − Pandas have been deeply missed at the Smithsonian National Zoo for the past six months. But on Wednesday morning, zoo visitors learned they have something big (and furry) to look forward to again.

The zoo said Wednesday it's set to receive male panda Bao Li and female panda Qing Bao, both 2 years old, from China sometime in 2024.

The news comes after Mei Xiang and Tian Tian − who had been in the U.S. for 23 years − and Xiao Qi Ji, who was born in August 2020, returned to China in November following a bittersweet farewell in Washington.

Zoo staff put up new banners Wednesday letting visitors know, "the pandas are coming."

Flanked by stalks of bamboo on the zoo’s Asia Trail, local graduate student Summer Zhou said the environment felt ready for the panda’s return.

“I just feel like their spirit is still here,” she said. “They never left my heart.”

Families rolled strollers beneath the decorations as they walked through the zoo's entrance. Teresa Willibey, 30, was among them with her 4-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter, visiting from Buffalo, New York.

“It’s exciting for my kids to get to see them so they can learn more about other animals,” said the former Washington resident.

The two new giant pandas will replace the trio that came before them beginning sometime before the end of 2024, said Lonnie Bunch, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, in a social media video announcing the news.

"I'm thrilled to announce that within this year we'll once again welcome a new pair of giant pandas," Bunch said.

One of the new pandas is closely related to the pair that just left the zoo, officials said Wednesday.

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Who are Bao Li and Qing Bao, the new pandas?

Bao Li is the grandson of Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, the pandas who returned to China in November. Bao Li's mother is Bao Bao, the pair's second offspring, born in 2013 at the National Zoo.

Bao Li means "treasure" and "energetic" in Mandarin Chinese, according to the zoo.

Qing Bao means "green" and "treasure," the zoo said Wednesday in a statement.

The zoo also said a new 10-year research and breeding agreement has been signed with China.

How long have pandas been at the National Zoo?

The first panda came to the U.S. from China in 1972, and the fluffy animals have been a staple of Washington's Smithsonian National Zoo ever since.

The zoo's previous pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji returned to China last year after attempts to renew the Smithsonian's 3-year agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association failed.

Wednesday's announcement follows increased engagement between Washington and Beijing which has put ties on a steadier footing since relations hit historic lows last year.

China's ambassador to the United States Xie Feng said the new panda cooperation agreement was “a very good sign” for U.S.-China relations.

"To deepen the friendly ties between our two peoples, today I am very glad to share with you some good news," he said during remarks at the zoo.

Washington is not the only city that will soon be home to the pandas.

Zoos in California announced earlier this year they would also continue to benefit from the more than 50 years of diplomacy surrounding the giant pandas.

In February, the San Diego Zoo announced it will be getting a new pair of pandas, Xin Bao and Yun Chuan. In April, the San Francisco Zoo said it will host pandas again for the first time since 1985. Timelines for both zoos have not yet been announced.

News of pandas' arrival sparks excitement in Washington

Children, filled with excitement, shouted the names of their favorite animals as they ventured through the zoo's entrance on Wednesday morning.

“Can I see the panda?” one young visitor asked her parents.

Even though Willibey's family had already left the Washington area, they were still sad to see the black and white bears go last year.

“It worked out that we weren't affected too much, but we were bummed that it was happening in general,” she said.

Although her kids shouted in excitement about the pandas, Willibey expressed a note of concern. “I feel kind of mixed,” she said. “It's exciting that it's coming back… but at the same time, maybe it should be growing up where it's supposed to come from.”

To Eric Williams, a longtime Washington resident, and his 7-year-old daughter, the loss of the pandas deprived the zoo of one of its main attractions.

“It kind of took away from a big part of coming here,” Williams, 50, said as he shepherded his daughter and her first grade classmates past the otter exhibit. “My kids have always enjoyed seeing them.”

Williams isn’t a frequent zoo visitor, but he returned on Wednesday morning to accompany the class on a school field trip.

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The kids also had the pandas on their minds. “Actually, on the ride here, they were asking about them,” Williams said. “Whether they were going to get the opportunity to see the pandas.”

Williams’ message about the return of the pandas – the more, the merrier.

“Probably need a little more,” he said. “I’d say minimum, five or six. Give everybody an opportunity to see them.”

Grad student Zhou said she can hardly wait for the pandas to return – the zoo just isn’t the same to her without them.

“It definitely feels like a missing component of the zoo,” said Zhou, a 25-year-old graduate student studying sustainability at American University in Washington's Tenleytown neighborhood, just north of the zoo.

Zhou, originally from Texas, traveled the short distance from her home with a fellow grad student on Wednesday morning to get up close with the animals.

Videos she captured of the pandas last summer are more than just a memento to Zhou – they’re a life lesson.

“When I watch them, I get relaxed too,” she said. “They’re like these big, fluffy animals who know how to enjoy life.”

Contributing: Julia Gomez, Saman Shafiq, USA TODAY; Reuters