US panda fans can 'bearly' wait for pair's debut

The official debut of two giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, DC, is fast approaching, and fans of the furry pair of Ailuropoda melanoleuca specimens can "bearly" wait.

The playful twosome, who arrived from China in mid-October, have spent the last three months settling into their newly renovated habitat. Now they're ready to steal hearts nationwide as they make their public debut on Jan 24.

"We were incredibly excited to welcome Bao Li and Qing Bao to the National Zoo three months ago," Michael Brown-Palsgrove, curator of giant pandas and the Asia Trail, told China Daily during a media preview event hosted by the zoo on Thursday. "They've adjusted beautifully to their new home and have been busy exploring every nook and cranny of their habitat."

Meanwhile, amid a pristine blanket of snow, the young pandas are enjoying their breakfasts in separate outdoor yards. Every now and then, they stand up to take a few steps, but for the most part, they're happy just munching away on bamboo. Several days ago, the zoo shared a video on social media showing Bao Li and Qing Bao leaping, rolling and frolicking in the snow.

Bao Li, the male panda, is the grandson of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, who had been living in the zoo for more than 20 years, and the son of Bao Bao, who was born there. He and Qing Bao are both 3 years old.

"Bao Li is very gregarious and interested in what the keepers are doing. He's always watching them and really wants attention. Qing Bao is a little bit more independent but definitely still has a strong relationship with the keepers. She recognizes them as, like, a source of joy and gets really excited when they come around," said Brown-Palsgrove, "I do think they're ready to meet the public."

The pandas' arrival and residence mark a significant milestone in the long-standing collaboration between the National Zoo and Chinese scientists and veterinarians. "We've had a long history working closely with colleagues in China," Melissa Songer, a conservation biologist with the Smithsonian, told China Daily. "Since the late 90s, we've been working together to tackle the challenges of panda reproduction, such as figuring out the timing and improving the health of the panda population under human care."

This collaborative spirit has been instrumental in ensuring a smooth transition for Bao Li and Qing Bao. The zoo worked closely with Chinese experts to transform the panda habitat into a panda paradise, complete with fresh landscaping, a new pool and stimulating climbing structures.

Matthew Sellers, a landscape architect at the zoo, told China Daily that he and his team made improvements to all four interior habitats as well as the three outdoor yards, including replacing the old concrete climbing structures with black locust woods to make it warmer and softer in the bears' living spaces, adding new climbing structures and tree trunks in the yards, modernizing the fire alarm and evacuation systems, and improving and upgrading all of the cameras outside and inside.

"We also have plans to start renovating and making improvements to the interpretive elements that are around, so there's always work to be done," said Sellers. "We've worked very hard for the past year, but we'll continue to work on."

Of course, no panda enclosure is complete without a plentiful supply of bamboo. The zoo has that covered too. "We're offering about 100 pounds (45.39 kilograms) of bamboo per a day for each giant panda," said Brown-Palsgrove. He said a dedicated team makes sure the pandas receive a variety of fresh bamboo offerings, ensuring they have plenty of choices when it comes to mealtimes. In addition to bamboo, the pandas also enjoy fruits, vegetables and a specially formulated "panda bread" packed with essential vitamins.

Such diverse and abundant panda dishes allow the young bears to grow quickly. James Steeil, veterinarian at the zoo, said Bao Li is around 100 kg while Qing Bao is around 80 kg now, both adding around 3 kg after they arrived in the US capital.

"The keepers monitor their health daily, and then on a routine basis, the veterinary team here will come and visit them and make sure that everything is going well. And then as Bao Li and Qing Bao get used to our routines here, they're also now starting to get into the medical training to be active participants in their medical care," Steeil told China Daily, adding that they've just started the training for blood samples, ultrasound, heart monitoring and examining their mouths, paws and feet.

Steeil was among the staff accompanying the bears flying from Chengdu, Sichuan province, and he said that it was "an honor" to travel with the pandas and monitor their health during the long flight.

The two new pandas have also energized the research community.

"The new pandas provide us with opportunities for better animal care, disease diagnosis and treatment," said Huang Qiongyu, a wildlife biologist at the zoo. Huang told China Daily that the ongoing research projects include studying panda behavior and feeding methods, as well as investigating the impact of climate change on wild panda populations.

Brown-Palsgrove said the zoo's member previews from Jan 10-19 will get Bao Li and Qing Bao used to the crowds. And they anticipate a significant increase in visitors once the pandas are officially on view. "Right now, we expect about 1,500-2,000 people a day, but that number will likely triple or quadruple after Jan 24."

yifanxu@chinadailyusa.com