50 years of giant pandas' presence in US celebrated

Smith said she has been impressed by the cooperation with the zoo staff's counterparts in China.

"I have really loved working with the giant pandas. They're incredible animals to work with and get to know them as a species. But also, one of my favorite parts is it's not just about working with these animals. It has been about working with colleagues in China," she said.

"So working with our scientists and other contributors in China to share knowledge about pandas, their habitat and their culture has really been an incredible experience for me."

The COVID-19 pandemic has created obstacles for in-person communications.

"Normally we go to China several times a year, and our colleagues are trying to come here to visit us. With the pandemic, it's been hard because we haven't been able to see each other in person, but the good thing is that we still have emails, video calls and other ways to communicate," Smith said.