WASHINGTON (AP) — The Nationwide Zoo’s lengthy darkish panda drought appears to be coming to an finish.

Eleven months after the zoo mentioned despatched its three wildly standard pandas — Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji — again to China, a brand new pair of bears is ready to reach.

A pair of three-year previous big pandas, named Bao Li and Qing Bao, have left a analysis facility within the southwestern Chinese language metropolis of Dujiangyan and can quickly be flown to Washington, in accordance with a press release by the China Wildlife Conservation Affiliation.

“Meals ready for the journey contains corn bread, bamboo and carrots, in addition to water and medication,” the assertion mentioned, including that the partnership will “make new contributions in defending world biodiversity and improve the friendship of the individuals from the 2 international locations.”

It’s unclear precisely when the bears will arrive in Washington, however there’ll doubtless be an prolonged quarantine and acclimation interval earlier than they’re launched to the general public.

Bao Li (valuable vigor) and Qing Bao (inexperienced treasure) arrive in Washington as a part of a brand new 10-year settlement with Chinese language authorities. The earlier deal expired final 12 months, resulting in some concern amongst American panda-lovers that Beijing was step by step pulling its furry friendship ambassadors from American zoos amid rising diplomatic tensions.

Breeding pairs in zoos in Memphis and San Diego had already returned to China earlier and the 4 pandas within the Atlanta zoo left for China final week.

That nervousness turned to optimism final November when Chinese language President Xi Jinping publicly acknowledged a need to proceed the panda change packages. This 12 months, a brand new pair of bears has been delivered to the San Diego Zoo, whereas one other pair has been promised to San Francisco.

In Washington, Nationwide Zoo officers remained conspicuously silent about negotiations for a brand new panda settlement, however they expressed optimism about placing a brand new deal and launched a multimillion-dollar renovation of its panda enclosure in anticipation. Then in late Might, zoo director Brandie Smith teamed up with first girl Jill Biden to announce that Bao Li and Qing Bao can be arriving by the top of this 12 months.

The Chinese language announcement mentioned the Nationwide Zoo had despatched “three skilled keepers and veterinary consultants” to China to help the transport and accompany the bears.

Zoo officers on Monday declined to substantiate the Chinese language announcement. Zoo spokesperson Jennifer Zoon mentioned in an electronic mail, “For the protection of animals and workers, we’re not capable of verify any particulars right now.” However indicators on the zoo and on its social media website have heralded the deliberate return of the pandas and panda-themed merchandise nonetheless dominates the present outlets.

“The large pandas are an iconic a part of the Washington, D.C., story, each for locals and incoming vacationers alike,” mentioned Elliott L. Ferguson, II, president and CEO of Vacation spot DC. “The curiosity and pleasure related to their return instantly advantages your entire metropolis, bringing additional curiosity and guests to our accommodations, eating places and different points of interest.”

The precise phrases of the deal are nonetheless unclear; underneath earlier 10-year agreements the Chinese language authorities receives $1 million per 12 months, per bear. Any cubs born in abroad zoos are usually returned to China earlier than they attain age 4.

Pandas have change into one of many unofficial symbols of the nation’s capital, relationship again to 1972 when the primary pair — Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing — had been despatched as a present from Chinese language Premier Zhou Enlai following President Richard Nixon’s historic diplomatic go to to China. Later, a rolling sequence of 10-year cooperation agreements was struck.

Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese language embassy in Washington, credited the a long time of cooperation with advancing analysis into panda preservation and breeding. Throughout the lifespan of those agreements, big pandas have been reclassified from an endangered species to merely weak.

“The present spherical of cooperation will give attention to prevention and remedy of main illnesses, and safety of habitats and wild big panda populations,” Liu mentioned in an electronic mail. “We hope the arrival of the pandas will inject recent impetus into exchanges between China and the U.S., and assist to stabilize the broader bilateral relationshipas properly.”