Latest Panda News
Feb. 23, 2019
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China hosted a housewarming party today, Feb. 23, sponsored by Airbnb, to celebrate the ne... read more
Feb. 20, 2019
Snow in Washington, D.C. today, Feb. 20, brought out the playful side of the giant pandas at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. Twenty-year-old Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) and three-year-old Bei Bei (BAY-BAY)... read more
Feb. 14, 2019
You’re invited to a housewarming celebration! The new visitor exhibit in the panda house is finished and we would love for everyone to come visit and see it. On Feb. 23, we’ll be hosting a giant... read more
Feb. 14, 2019
WHAT: Ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the new indoor exhibit for visitors at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat, followed by... read more
Jan. 30, 2019
The shutdown didn’t shutdown giant panda playtime! During the past three-and-a-half weeks Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Bei Bei have carried on with their daily routines, but without their usual human visi... read more
Dec. 21, 2018
If you plant it, they will come.
A collaborative research team including scientists from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI), Guanyinshan Nature Reserve and Tsinghua University ha... read more
Nov. 30, 2018
The New Year will bring in some new changes to the panda house! Beginning in early December, the panda house at the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat may occasionally close during weekday... read more
Nov. 16, 2018
Three-year-old giant panda played and tumbled in the snow Thursday, Nov. 15. The giant pandas prefer colder temperatures and are usually more active during the winter months. They have thick water-pro... read more
Oct. 15, 2018
Each year, the Smithsonian's National Zoo's animals celebrate Halloween with an assortment of pumpkin treats and, dare we say, it's SCARY cute! We'll update this page with more themed content lea... read more
Aug. 22, 2018
Giant panda Bei Bei (BAY-BAY) celebrated his third birthday Aug. 22 with an ice cake made from frozen, diluted fruit juices and decorated with apples, pears, sweet potatoes, carrots, sugar cane and ba... read more
Aug. 22, 2018
Bei Bei turned 3 years old today! In celebration of his big day, Bei Bei enjoyed an ice-cake, participated in an enrichment painting session and received a new panda-friendly toy.
His cake was specia... read more
Jul. 05, 2018
A team of reproductive scientists, veterinarians and animal keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute have determined that giant panda Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) will not... read more
Jun. 29, 2018
The exhibits team built the hammocks from sturdy firehose and installed them. There has been a hammock in Bei Bei’s enclosure for several years, but it was starting to show some wear-and-tear as it’s... read more
Jun. 24, 2018
Beginning today, June 24, the panda house will be closed to keep a quiet area around female giant panda Mei Xiang’s den. Although keepers are not able to confirm if she is pregnant, Mei Xiang is... read more
Jun. 21, 2018
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The panda team has started seeing more pronounced behavioral changes in Mei Xiang, which is normal and expected for a pregnant or pseudopregnant giant panda. Overall, she is spending more tim... read more
Jun. 01, 2018
In honor of the Washington, D.C. Capitals making the NHL finals, the Smithsonian's National Zoo's giant panda Tian Tian was given a special treat of a bamboo hockey stick, ice puck and a fruitsicle st... read more
Jun. 01, 2018
It’s been almost three months since Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated (AI). Keepers, veterinarians and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientists have been monitoring her carefully eve... read more
Mar. 19, 2018
The beginning of March was a whirlwind at the Giant Panda Habitat. Mei Xiang finally went into peak estrus March 1 after the panda team had been monitoring her and Tian Tian 24-hours-a-day for nearly... read more
Mar. 01, 2018
Note: The Zoo’s giant panda team will be available for on-site interviews March 2 at 9:30 a.m. To RSVP, email murphyd@si.edu or zoonj@si.edu or call the Communications office beginning at 8 a.m. tomor... read more
Feb. 21, 2018
Keepers have noticed some dramatic changes in Mei Xiang and Tian Tian's behavior during the past several days. On Saturday, Feb. 17, Mei Xiang started showing behavioral changes that indicate she may... read more
Feb. 16, 2018
Giant panda Bei Bei celebrated the Lunar New Year with some special Year of the Dog enrichment!
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Dec. 19, 2017
As the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler, the pandas are spending more time in their yards. Panda keepers sometimes get asked by the visitors why we place the bamboo and enrichment it... read more
Nov. 29, 2017
Wednesday, Nov. 29
Bei Bei is bright and alert this morning and fully recovered from his veterinary exam yesterday, Nov. 28. Keepers monitored him overnight and offered him small amounts of bamboo,... read more
Nov. 15, 2017
Tian Tian had a preventative health exam yesterday. He was taken to the veterinary hospital, which allowed our veterinarians to get an up-close and in-depth look at him while he was under anesthesia.... read more
Sep. 14, 2017
The giant panda team at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute has determined that Mei Xiang (may-SHONG) will not give birth this year.
The panda team has been monitorin... read more