National Panda Day is on Tuesday, March 16, 2027, and it falls on March 16 every year. It celebrates the giant panda, the black-and-white bear from the mountains of China. With pandas back in U.S. zoos, it’s a good year to visit one or tune in to a panda cam.
When Is National Panda Day?
It’s always March 16. It’s an unofficial day, not a federal holiday.
Who Started National Panda Day?
No founder or start year has been documented.
Why Celebrate Giant Pandas?
They’re a conservation success story. About 1,800 live in the wild, a Chinese official said in 2021. A national survey counted 1,864 at the end of 2015.
In 2016, the IUCN moved giant pandas from “endangered” to “vulnerable.” China updated their status to vulnerable in 2021, crediting nature reserves and other conservation work.
Panda facts
- All-day eaters: pandas spend 10 to 16 hours a day foraging and eating, mostly bamboo.
- Tiny newborns: a cub weighs just 3 to 5 ounces at birth, about 1/900th the size of its mother.
- Mountain homes: wild pandas live only in the mountains of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.
- A built-in tool: pandas grip bamboo with a “pseudo-thumb,” an enlarged wrist bone.
How to Celebrate National Panda Day
- Watch the panda cam: the National Zoo’s Giant Panda Cam streams live from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time.
- Plan a zoo trip: check visiting hours for the panda habitats in Washington or San Diego.
- Make panda snacks: decorate rice balls with nori ears and eyes, or ice cookies with black-and-white faces.
- Do a bamboo count: with kids, compare how many hours a panda eats to how long they spend at school.
- Read a panda book: try Zen Shorts by Jon J. Muth, about a wise panda named Stillwater.
- Support conservation: donate to a zoo or wildlife group that funds panda research.
Where Can You See Pandas in the U.S.?
Washington, D.C.: Bao Li and Qing Bao arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in October 2024. Both were born in 2021 in Sichuan, China. Under the current agreement, they’ll stay through April 2034.
San Diego: Yun Chuan and Xin Bao arrived at the San Diego Zoo in June 2024 and made their public debut that August. They were the first pandas to arrive in the U.S. in 21 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do U.S. zoos own their pandas?
No. Pandas come to U.S. zoos on loan from China. The National Zoo pays a $1 million yearly fee that funds research and conservation in China.
How long do pandas live?
Wild pandas live about 15 to 20 years, while pandas in human care can reach about 30, the National Zoo says.
Why do pandas eat so much bamboo?
Their digestive system is closer to a carnivore’s, so much of the bamboo passes through undigested. They make up for it by eating for hours.