Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, a young female and male on loan from China, will make their home at the National Zoo for the next 10 years. The furry duo touched down at Dulles National Airport aboard a FedEx airplane adorned with panda images, accompanied by Chinese and U.S. zoo keepers. A crowd of hundreds braved cool weather to catch a glimpse of the Chinese imports.
Giant pandas are among the most popular and rare endangered species in the world.
Only about 1,000 remain in the wild, living in remote mountain forests in Central China. About 20 bears live in zoos outside China. Besides the new arrivals, the United States has three in San Diego and two in Atlanta. There is just something about these black and white bears that fascinates children and adults. Voracious bamboo eaters Despite their popularity, the reclusive animals remain somewhat of a puzzle to scientists.