China's new pandadiplomats come to Washington DC
China's new pandadiplomats come to Washington DC
in Washington, DC, two giant pandas from China have reached their new residence. It is the first time in 24 years that the US capital welcomes a new group of these furry diplomats from Beijing. The Fedex freight aircraft called "Panda Express" landed at Washington Dulles at 9:53 a.m. on Tuesday at 9:53 a.m. and brought Bao Li and Qing Bao, both three years old.
arrival of the pandas in the National Zoo
The two large metal boxes with the precious pandas were carefully lowered from the underside of the aircraft on a lifting platform under strict safety precautions and with intensive media reporting and with the precious pandas. From there, the Pandas were brought to the National Zoo of the Smithsonian Institute, where they will remain as part of a loan contract for 10 years, which includes an annual fee of $ 1 million to support nature conservation projects in China.accessibility for the public
Despite the solemn reception, American Panda fans have to wait for the opportunity to personally see the new cute residents. Zoo members can take a first look at the pandas from January 10, 2025, while the general public only has the opportunity to see the bears on January 24th. Before that, the pandas of a 30-day quarantine must be subjected to a routine process in which a team designs their surroundings with different incentives to keep them active and promote their thirst for exploration.
The importance of panda diplomacy
The return of the giant pandas to Washington represents a bright spot in the tense relationships between the USA and China. While Bao Li was born in the Southwest Chinese province of Sichuan, he has close family roots in Washington: his mother Bao Bao was born in the National Zoo in 2017 and returned to China in 2017.
character and properties of the pandas
Mariel Lally, a zookeeper in the National Zoo, accompanied Bao Li and Qing Bao on their flight. She describes Bao Li as a bear with great personality who has a lot of energy and is friendly to people. "He will inspire visitors," says Lally. Qing Bao, on the other hand, is the opposite - she is rather shy and prefers to withdraw. "It is very independent and often shows a calm, reserved way," adds Lally.
The fascination for pandas in the USA
The National Zoo was the first in the USA to exhibit giant pandas, which is part of the decades of “panda diplomacy” China. This diplomatic strategy started with Richard Nixon's visit to China during the Cold War and led to the arrival of the first panda couple in the National Zoo. Since then, the pandas have become the main attraction of the zoo, which attracts millions of visitors.
preparations for the long flight
For the trip of Bao Li and Qing Bao about the Pacific Ocean, much organizational effort was carried out. A delegation of the Washingtonzoo traveled to Sichuan to help with the handover. Before their departure, the pandas were kept in quarantine on September 13 to prepare them for the long journey. Bao Li showed himself to be calm during the entire journey, while Qing Bao was a little more restless when she was lifted into her transport container.
"We look forward to welcoming Bao Li and Qing Bao to the National Zoo," said Brandie Smith, the director of the zoo. "These beloved black and white bears are icons in Washington, DC and all over the world."
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