The Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington D.C. announced giant pandas will be returning by the end of the year.
After over 5 decades of having pandas from China, the loan agreement expired in November and the pandas were sent back.
The Smithsonian National Zoo is under construction and updating the panda enclosure by building new climbing structures, adding rocks, hammocks and pools for the future “stars.”
China is sending 2 two-year-old pandas within a few months. The male panda, Bao Li is a descendant of pandas that have lived at the National Zoo before: his grandparents and his mother, who was the first female cub born at the zoo. The female panda Qing Bao is of no relation and they are hoping the two will end up mating. If they do, the cubs will need to return back to China by the age of 4-years-old.
With the help of the National Zoo, the Atlanta, Memphis and San Diego Zoos, breeding and conservation programs, pandas have gone from endangered to vulnerable.
The new loan agreement with China will be in effect for 10 years. The San Diego and San Francisco zoos are also anticipating receiving 2 pandas each sometime by the end of the year as well Meanwhile, Atlanta will have to return the 4 pandas they have on loan this year.
By - FZ
