Watch pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao live from National Zoo on Giant Panda Cam

Mary Walrath-Holdridge and Christopher Cann, USA TODAY

Updated January 24, 2025 at 12:19 p.m.·2 min read

Absence makes the heart grow fonder.

After more than a year without them, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. has welcomed a new pair of giant pandas for guests to visit.

Three-year-old Bao Li and Qing Bao made a new home at the zoo after the previous panda tenants, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and their cub, Xiao Qi Ji, returned to China when their lease expired in November 2023.

Bao Li and Qing Bao have already caused waves, attracting crowds of excited visitors and enjoying a welcome celebration just for them. Visitors come from all over to watch their adorable antics, fascinated by even the simplest of the bears' daily tasks.

Luckily for those who don't live near Washington, you can still watch the young bears via the "Giant Panda Cam," a live broadcast designed to give enthusiasts a look at what Qing Bao and Bao Li are up to on any given day. Here's how.

Plan your visit: Giant pandas debut at National Zoo in Washington

Watch the live stream of Giant Panda Cam here

What is the Giant Panda Cam?

The panda reality show is pulled together from 40 cameras placed throughout their enclosures. The cameras will be operated by trained volunteers from a central system and run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Once the day is over, the recordings will be rebroadcast so "virtual visitors around the world can view the animals when they are most active," the zoo said in a statement.

The "Giant Panda Cam" launched in 2011 and has garnered more than 100 million page views. One of the first major highlights showed the moment Mei Xiang birthed a squealing Xiao Qi Ji and cradled her newborn cub.

See Bao Li and Qing Bao: New giant pandas spark excitement, gather fans at National Zoo

How do I get a ticket to see the pandas in person?

If you are planning to take a trip out to D.C. soon, you can visit the pair for free at the National Zoo. No additional paid tickets are required to check out the panda exhibit, either.

Those wishing to see Bao Li and Qing Bao can secure passes online at nationalzoo.si.edu/visit/events. For those without access to the zoo's website, a limited number of same-day passes may be offered at the entrances.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: National Zoo panda cam: Watch live stream of giant pandas

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Watch pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao live from National Zoo on Giant Panda Cam

Watch the live stream of Giant Panda Cam here

What is the Giant Panda Cam?

How do I get a ticket to see the pandas in person?

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