Pandas have become synonymous with Washington, D.C.'s National Zoo. But it wasn't always that way. What were the names of the two pandas President Nixon welcomed to D.C. in 1972?

Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing arrived on April 16, 1972, and were officially unveiled four days later. They were part of a program meant to open diplomatic relations between China and the U.S., and they ended up opening up hearts of visitors to the Smithsonian Zoo. During their time at the zoo, the pair had five cubs, but sadly none of them lived more than a few days.

Asked by Tom Cohen · Last updated 5 years ago · 1.3K views