Place archive
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park, located in Rock Creek Park in northwest Washington, D.C., is one of the oldest and most prestigious zoological institutions in the United States, overseen by the Smithsonian Institution. It currently houses over 2,700 individuals representing 390 species, including critically endangered taxa such as the Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki), the black rhino
How this page is organized
This page gathers the residents linked to Smithsonian National Zoological Park, the key moments recorded here, nearby institutions, and the articles that add context.
Resident archive
4 pandas recorded
The pandas currently recorded at this institution.
宝力
Bao Li (宝力), studbook #1365, is a male giant panda born on August 4, 2021, at the Wolong Shenshuping Base. His mother Ba...
青宝
Qing Bao (青宝), studbook #1375, is a female giant panda born on September 12, 2021, at the Wolong Shenshuping Base. She i...
Pandas that were once linked to this institution.
星星
Hsing Hsing (星星, studbook #127) was a male giant panda captured in the wild of Sichuan in 1971. He and female Ling Ling ...
View profile玲玲
Ling Ling (Chinese name: 玲玲) was a female giant panda born in the wild of Sichuan Province, China around 1971. She and t...
View profileRecorded moments
Bao Li spent his first birthday in the United States at the Smithsonian National Zoo, where he enjoys climbing and enrichment activities.
Read updateBao Li moved to smithsonian_national_zoo.
Read updateQing Bao moved to smithsonian_national_zoo.
Read updateAfter a 30-day quarantine and small-scale member previews, Bao Li officially debuted alongside Qing Bao at the Smithsonian's panda house opening ceremony.
Read updateQing Bao made her public debut at Smithsonian National Zoo.
Read updateBao Li and Qing Bao departed Dujiangyan Base via charter flight, arriving at Washington Dulles after a 19-hour journey. Two Chinese keepers and vets accompanied them.
Read updateQing Bao and Bao Li departed China for a 10-year stay at Smithsonian National Zoo.
Read updateAt 22 years old, Mei Xiang gave birth to Xiao Qi Ji using frozen semen — the first successful panda pregnancy in the US using only frozen semen.
Read updateIn the library
From 1972, when Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing arrived as gifts from Mao Zedong's China, to 2023, when Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji returned home, the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C. hosted giant pandas continuously for half a century — the longest unbroken panda presence in the Western world. This article chronicles the science, the celebrity, and the emotional farewells of five decades of American panda diplomacy.
Giant pandas don't just live in China — they're animal ambassadors in zoos across the globe! Grab your imaginary passport and take a tour of the world's panda hotspots, from Washington D.C. to Tokyo to Berlin to Seoul. Discover which countries host pandas, what makes each panda home special, and how you can visit pandas near you!
A curated global guide to over 50 panda documentaries spanning seven decades, seven thematic categories, and ten countries — from Pan Wenshi's raw Qinling field recordings in the 1990s to the 2024 Korean theatrical release Goodbye, Grandpa. Every film is verified, reviewed, and linked to the real pandas, keepers, and breeding centers behind the footage.
World map
Coordinates: 38.9296 N, 77.0498 W
Archive notes
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park, located in Rock Creek Park in northwest Washington, D.C., is one of the oldest and most prestigious zoological institutions in the United States, overseen by the Smithsonian Institution. It currently houses over 2,700 individuals representing 390 species, including critically endangered taxa such as the Panamanian golden frog (Atelopus zeteki), the black rhino