New Pandas Debut At The National Zoo - Opening Ceremony

[Music] it is the day the entire DMV has been waiting for it is finally here in about uh 30 minutes pandemonium will engulf the National Zoo right now we can tell you that hundreds of people are standing by for their first opportunity the first chance to meet DC's newest Panda Duo of course Ching ba and B oh they are the Talk of the Town this meeting has been months in the making since the panda pair arrived from China back back in October of last year and while some lucky people did get a preview earlier this month today the new panda exhibit will officially be opened to the public thank you so much for joining us on our Panda unveiling streaming special I love this day I'm Alison seor and I'm Annie you welcome in it is definitely an exciting day for our area and one that we know so many of you at home have been waiting to see uh let's give you a live look right now inside the National Zoo where of course officials there are gathering for this very special day the unveiling ceremony it is expected to start at any minute now you can see everybody just out there trying to stay warm for this big debut lot of lot of uh officials looks like a lot of press out there um of course we're all familiar with that whole shop like the the the void that was left when our pandas left town right and all the shops and all the merchandise they really have become The Unofficial mascot of uh Washington DC since they arrived way back in the 70s there it is the Revival of the panda cam the panda cam is back up and running and uh I don't know if uh if that little panda looks excited or just like eh it's just another day I am the show but uh again today is the day we're waiting on a special announcement from the zoo and then that Panda exhibit opens once again and what makes us so much more special and exciting is that there was a little bit of that uncertainty when they left us right 15 months of just trying to wait and see and here we are we're finally getting able to take our families our kids out there again to the National Zoo uh the thing about today though you definitely need that entry ticket so be sure to sign uh online for that ticket to get inside but you know the best thing about the Smithsonian it's free free 99 can't beat that right and all of I mean we live in such a wonderful area for that of course all of the Smithsonian museums and uh as the Smithsonian the the National Zoo it again is free too but yep you do need those uh basically the times I can't imagine the crowds that they're going to see today but you do need to reserve your spot but just like you're looking at right here this panda cam the panda cams are up and running and if you can't make it today because it is also very cold out there um you know then you can check them out online for sure and it looks like this Little Panda parade is oh how cute it's happening right now probably for the big announcement today as they're ready they are so ready to uh to see the pandas you know um I read that there annually it's 1.9 million visitors annually who come to the nation's capital to uh see our pandas we are the only ones here in the in the DC area to have the giant pandas and it's it's such a big deal um not only for us who live here but for those who travel from every corner of the the country to come and and see this attraction uh I want to also share that there's this really important meaning behind it uh the Smithsonian Zoo actually pays the China Wildlife Conservation Association $1 million a year to house the pandas the whole idea um of this really starts with conservation too yes they're they're you know they're just so darn cute and they but they are uh they want to build the numbers back up for the pandas so when we always have to say goodbye to our panda cubs it's for good reason and hopefully From Here to Eternity we always have uh pandas at our National Zoo you know just um just looking at some interesting panda facts that you might not have known we talked about this one earlier they don't hibernate they they don't care they're not phased by this coal they're used to it in in the mountains um this is their preference exactly and so they don't hibernate they are IND dangered they're endangered due to habitat loss and pandas we think of them as cute and cuddly but Annie they have two sets of teeth uh similar to you know up and down right the teeth are strong and they allow them to crush bamboo with one bite and they love bamboo and they and they love it we know they almost exclusively eat bamboo um so yeah so here's the other kicker too so there's like a whole generational line here right and I don't want to screw this up in any way so I'm going to look at my notes here but you've got BWI and Ching B okay so BWI the boy we here right now is third generation Washingtonian and you're like okay how so his mom is a baow bow remember remember B we miss you ba Bal uh ba bal's parents mayang and taan also housed here this is um years of the pandas being here let's listen to the kiddos welcome the pandas [Music] me [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] look hi [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] there you see Muriel Bowser right there as they everybody prepares uh for this press conference I'm sure this is just all part of the program with these wonderful kids there the head of the Smithsonian right there as well and uh there is the mayor dawned in the burgundy and gold cap we're celebrating two big things yes it's such an exciting week we've had this this past week right Ian we've been looking forward to uh to this moment um of course Panda's iconic part of the Washington story and you know when you were when the girls were young I mean this was a must I could not wait to get little Ava into the zo there are many pictures a lot of the times when we would go we're like now where are they but just to be in that space I mean there are pictures of us uh taking pictures of the the kids in front with really nothing behind them in the enclo but it was just to be in the space that that's the kind of excitement the pandas generate that's right yeah for sure okay so we are still standing by but you know um we were so sad when they had to shut down or the panda cams went dark of course because we no longer had just hours of footage to watch them but fun to to see them in their own little habitat and they were trying to get the pandas um you know acclimated to their new space which is why we had that that LOL it was like what two and a half months because they got here in October right so October of 20124 and they really wanted to get ba Bowe and um uh Ching ba acclimated to their new space but I'm sure they enjoyed some of that snow we had too sure we we saw that footage I wish that um you know we're waiting for the press conference to start so we don't want to break away but um that great footage of the pandas rolling around in the snow uh was just so wonderful to see so I think we do have it here let's show that because we really got a kick out of it yes them enjoying um well that's not quite the snow video but you you get the point um I have another fun fact that this is this one you can um you know Delight the people around the water cooler water cooler with pandas um poop about a 100 times a day all that bamboo go right through you I suppose and we've all seen and we can't wait for birthdays with that uh fruit fruit sickle uh cake that they they on their birthdays we really we really so happy they're back in DC for sure and they're the kids they're just leaving that big scene they did such a good job good job kids love it all right um and again it's no secret that the pandas they often symbolize the conservation efforts and also our relationship with uh with China they're going to be here for the next 10 years that we know for sure okay well I'll prepare myself hopefully there will plenty of time to go yes and they said earlier that you know this pair they're they're very young the first panents that came they weren't as young right the these guys are young so they're hoping in a couple of years maybe they'll take a liking to each other and maybe have a little baby I don't know we don't want to rush it we don't know if their chemistry is right but um yeah so hopefully we'll see and I remember one of the first fun facts that uh that I learned about pandas was that when they're born they're the size of a butter I was I was going to guess if that's what it was that always like sticks with you oh my goodness they're the size of a butter stick I love that they're so tiny all right here we go let's listen in on the press conference from the zoor of the zoo um I I'm going to keep my remarks brief this morning uh because I know the only creature on the planet right now who is enjoying this weather or our pandas uh I suspect right now they're sitting in a pile of snow eating a fruit sickle so they'll be happy so first I want to thank all of you for being here um people don't always realize that we are part of Smithsonian and that anyone can come here see our animals yes including our pandas entirely for free we're the only place in the planet where people can see giant pandas for free and millions of people come to the zoo every year but Millions more can connect with our Wildlife on including um all of our P all of our cameras including the smithsonian's most popular website um the giant panda Camp you know about our incredible animals and you know about our incredible Zoo but I want to take this moment to emphasize that we are also a conservation organization we have cuttingedge conservation and research programs working with community and Partners at the zoo in front r Virginia at our conservation Biology Institute across the United States and in more than 47 countries around the world we're working to build a more sustainable future for our Wildlife our people and our planet and nowhere is what we do more evident than our giant panda program we have 50 years of cooperation and collaboration to save an endangered species people always ask me they're like why do why do we love Panda so much why does everyone love pandas um I think the number one reason is because they're cute um I've been working with pandas for almost 20 years and I I just one day I want to go I I suspect I'll go out look at a panda and the magic will wear off but it never does it never has um the other thing is that they're rare you know they're rare because um they need more an we need more animals in the wild but it's also rare for people to see them and to actually have a chance in person to see what they're like and see them in person um but I also think we value them because they are Su they are a success story right a lot of species are having challenges in the wild the picture isn't bright for a lot of species but with pandas it is with pandas we are making a difference to save an endangered species um giant pandas truly represent how great conservation outcomes can be achieved through great Partnerships and public support we've gone from less than th000 pandas on the planet when this program started decades ago less than a thousand pandas on the planet to almost 3,000 pandas in the wild and in breeding centers around the world thank you we've gone from a few smattering of um wild areas for giant pandas to in China there is now a reserve Panda Reserve three times the size of yellowston National Park um where pandas can live and they can thrive in the wild people love pandas because they're a success but the reality is pandas are a success because all of the people care for them so much none of this is possible without the dedication and passion of our staff our members our donors our fans and all of our partners so I want to thank everyone who supports this program we know how much you love our animals at the National Zoo and I can't wait to introduce you to our new animals Jing ba and Bali um but first I want to introduce you some do some equally special guests um we have here with us Ambassador Shia um secretary buch and mayor Bowser Ambassador [Applause] sh The Honorable secretary Bunch mayor Bowser under secretary stoen director Smith our distinguished guests dear Panda fans and lovers good morning it is a great Delight to come to the district of panda and witness the debut of balii and Ching B together with all of you Washington DC is no longer unbearable and I believe all of you can bear wait to see them giant panders are not just National Treasures of China but also a shining example of China's ecological conservation some of them are superstars at Zeos growing up happily under the meticulous care of panda nanes some are enjoying a Carefree life in their beautiful home Village having fun among verden forests and lar Waters so far China has set up 67 Panda reserves as well as a giant panda National Park spanning three provinces today China's wild panda population has grown to nearly 1,900 and the species has been downgraded from endangered to to vulnerable so these beloved bears are not only super uh not only surviving but also thriving in recent years quite a number of Chinese people had the pleasant surprise of coming across wild pandas and their videos soon went viral on the internet cheering all Panda lovers the bond between our two peoples and penders started over half a century ago even earlier than the establishment of China us diplomatic relations as early as 1972 the first penders coming to the United States lingling and shing shing made their home at the National Zoo since we launched the penda conservation Corporation program with the National Zoo in 2000 we have together bred four Panda cups namely taan b b and trained more than 1500 Wildlife professionals and achieved positive results in Panda conservation and breeding disease prevention and treatment and Technical exchanges these are important contributions to protecting Global biodiversity and have also brought joy to numerous American families as B and chinga begin their 10year journey in DC I believe our new round of Pender Corporation will yield even more fruitful outcomes writing a new chapter in promoting Harmony between man and nature protecting pendas is protecting mother nature and embracing pendas is embracing peace and friendship the gentle and cute bears should not be demonized nor should mutually beneficial Panda Corporation be politicized some Chinese citizens commented that there is nothing a Pender cannot fix and if there is then that best have too American friends told me that they are simply biologically programmed to like giant pandas our shared love for pandas has deepened my conviction that China and the United States have much more in common than what devises and whenever I think of what we have achieved on Panda Corporation I will few more confident that as long as we work together we can make big great things happen to the benefit of both our countries and the world in just 5 days we will ring in the Luna New Year year of the snake I believe that surrounded by love of panda fans from both countries balii and chinga will surely enjoy a most Joyful Chinese New Year year in DC and I also wish all of you a happy lucky and cly year of panda with their sweet company thank you very much Happy New Year thank [Applause] you what a grand and glorious morning you know as Secretary of the Smithsonian I am so pleased to welcome you to this amazingly joyous occasion I'm pleased because you know I think we all felt that sense of loss when the pandas left last year but I'm also pleased because I did not want to be known as a secretary that lost the pandas so for me this is really an amazing joyous moment and I think it's a moment not to remember where we once were but to celebrate where we are now to celebrate our new arrivals we we delighted delighted to invite the public to meet and enjoy our wonderful new pandas Ching bow and Bali you know the Smithsonian giant pandas have been a presence in Washington for more than 50 years in some ways they are as iconic as the Washington Monument or the Lincoln Memorial people love the pandas because the pandas make us smile and they bring us together we are so pleased that so many people around the nation will get a chance to enjoy and engage the pandas whether by coming to the zoo or by going to their the C the panda cam and seeing them in their classrooms or in their homes and I'm so honored to share this moment with mayor Bowser who is a great supporter of the Smithsonian and somebody I know comes to the zoo regularly and I want to acknowledge the central role that Ambassador Shia has played in helping to facilitate the return of the pandas after for for more than 50 years it's important that the Smiths and has work with our Chinese colleagues to help ensure the preservation of the pandas our joint work to understand the habitat the biology the behavior of these amazing animals had led to breakthroughs in helping to preserve the species I'm proud that we've trained more than 1,500 Wildlife professionals and students in China the cooperation between our scientists has increased and stabilized Panda population and our work has provided valuable insights into not just how do you protect giant pandas but how do you protect all the wildlife that share their habitat but I'll tell you all the essential science aside and I know Brandy is crucially important to all the science to me let me use the scholarly vernacular the pandas are the coolest thing I know so today is a wonderful day a wonderful day for the Smithsonian for the city and for our Nations I want to thank you all for being here to share this celebration of our newest residents and as my granddaughter said the other day let Pandemania begin thank [Applause] you good morning everyone I am Muriel Bowser I'm mayor of the best city in the world he here in Washington DC and I am thrilled to be here and I want to thank you Mr Ambassador for your kind words I want to thank you director Smith and my dear friend secretary Lonnie Bunch for all of the great things you do with the Smithsonian with our wonderful National Zoo and of course with our Panda diplomacy I want to thank and congratulate the entire team here at the Nationals zoo I agree with the secretary very much that we were very very sad in 2023 when we said goodbye to our pandas but it was a jubilant day um when the FedEx Panda Express drove through the streets of Washington DC uh to make sure our pandas were coming home uh I feel like I grew up with our Panda relationship uh the pandas arrived in DC uh back in the 70s just four months before I was born uh so like many washingtonians I've always known uh a city of pandas uh and we want to keep it that way um we are going to certainly enjoy these 10 years and many many more and director Smith is quite right uh we have a jewel here in Washington CC at the National Zoo part of the Smithsonian Institution tion and free to all visitors so please be sure to check out your National Zoo of course we in DC welcome millions of visitors from across the country and around the world every year uh in the Smithsonian is usually their first stop so we want our message to tourists to to be clear we have world class hotels fantastic restaurants and pandas uh we have a worldclass public transit system that gets you to see the pandas um very directly and all of our museums are very friendly to kids and absolutely free so once again I want to thank the National Zoo there's so much excitement our pandas were celebrating in their beautiful home here at the zoo the Washington commanders are going to the NFC championship and we know that ba Lee and Ching ba will be rooting for the home team thank you everybody I just follow want to follow up on one thing um uh mayor Bowser mentioned the our public transportation system if you have not seen the panda metro card yet it is incredible it's for sale at Cleveland Park Woodley Park and Metro Center I actually like after work yesterday I ran to Cleveland Park and bought like 10 of them so um you better get them before I buy them all out uh so our next thing is to officially unlock the gates um and open District of panda and so I will ask the Ambassador the secretary and the mayor to step over here with me um and I I I just need I forgot the key so wait just hold on one second like Anisa there's a key here can someone find me the key please okay we're going to get it I'm I'm really sorry what [Music] he [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] oh [Music] he [Music] he [Music] d [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] 1 2 [Music] [Applause] [Music] uhoh [Music] hey [Music] he [Music] he [Music] [Music] [Music] up n [Music] [Music] [Music] how cute and special boy and with that the gates to the panda kingdom are open chapter in Washington DC love it it we heard from the Chinese Ambassador we heard from Dr Lonnie Bunch the secretary of the smithsonia and of course Brandy Smith the director at the National Zoo just all waiting for this day the excitement and there we see the first uh people to get to see the pandas in person walk through the gates right so special I really uh my takea away from all of this is of course pandas they're beloved they we love them it's tradition to have them here but also the meaning behind it and the conservation efforts are paying off that is clear in fact uh Dr Smith shared with us that throughout the time uh they went from endanger to vulnerable with less than 1,000 pandas and now we're up to 3,000 pandas in the wild and breeding centers and I think that just speaks to you know all of the uh the efforts paying off and the studying and with our Chinese colleagues and the partnership there the work that's being done and we always hate to see the pandas when they leave after um that uh 10year period of time but but we get it and the great thing is I think we were all little afraid when they left and we're like but what happened where are they are they coming back but the tradition continues now and I just hope it continues forever like it reminds me very much of the things that we you can only get here in DC so like the Cherry Blossom Festival um the pandas there and I was also struck by what uh Dr Smith said that here in DC this is the only place you can see uh pandas for free because the zoo is a part of the Smithsonian and we know that's free so it's just a wonderful treasure and a resource right here here in our backyard that's right that's right okay so now all we have to do is get our tickets and head to the zoo okay remember it's free but you do need your ticket but then the panda cam so much to talk about yes thanks for joining us for our Panda unveiling streaming special we will be back with a live report about the panda pair coming up in our 9:00 a.m. hour of get up DC uh just under an hour from now we'll see you then

2025-01-28 23:18

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