It’s probably not much of anything yet, but Qing Bao and Bao Li are at least getting curious about each other.
That’s what staff at the National Zoo in D.C. said in a post on X.
Bleats and chirps between two giant pandas are a sure sign that flirtatious feelings are in the air! Paired with rolls, playful pounces and splashing around in the pools, these vocalizations tell our animal care team when Bao Li and Qing Bao’s hormones are changing. Read… pic.twitter.com/ocYadblWgO
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) May 16, 2025
They were caught on video last month “bleating” at each other.
The zoo said that’s a sign of “flirtatious feelings” from the normally solitary pandas.
By the end of April, Bao Li and Qing Bao went from checking in with each other every once in a while to “spending all their time near the howdy window,” the zoo said.
The staff at the National Zoo has been testing Qing Bao’s hormones, and said she shows signs of changes that would get her ready for pregnancy. In a blog post, zookeepers said that Qing Bao’s estrogen levels were high, indicating that she was in an “estrus cycle.”
But Bao Li, like males of most species, will mature more slowly, according to staff.
So, while it’s promising, don’t print the birth announcements just yet.
By early May, while the bears were still interested in one another and vocalized at times, they occasionally walked away, but the staff said that eventually, both bears will “get back into the groove of their normal routine.”
WTOP’s Valerie Bonk contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
