National Zoo’s giant pandas make the most of Washington’s winter storm: NPR

A screenshot taken from the National Zoo’s giant panda feed shows one of the 3-year-old bears performing in the show.

National Zoo/Screenshot by NPR

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National Zoo/Screenshot by NPR

The National Zoo’s remaining residents took advantage of the snow that blanketed Washington, D.C., on Monday, giving onlookers a glimpse of the two furry bears’ playtime ahead of their public debut on Jan. 24.

A video released by the National Zoo showed Bao Li, a 3-year-old boy; and Qing Bao, a girl, rolling around in the ever-falling snow showers and climbing trees, seeming to enjoy Washington’s first snow of the year.

“This morning, approximately 5 inches of snow covered the Washington, D.C. area, including the outdoor habitats of giant panda Bao Li and Qing Bao,” the zoo wrote on X. “Flakes stuck to their fur while the bears frolicked and did somersaults.”

Pandas are native to mountainous regions of China where, according to Zoo Atlanta, temperatures can get cold. But bears’ thick fur helps protect them from the harmful effects of the cold.

While pandas enjoyed the frozen wonderland, elsewhere in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, snow wreaked havoc on daily commutes and power grids.

Officials in affected areas have warned people to stay indoors despite at least four deaths and dozens of injuries caused by the major snowstorm.