This morning, on November 8, three giant pandas left the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C. on their way home to China just before their loan agreement between the two countries was due to expire. Originally, the bears were slated to leave in early December, and then the plans changed to send them home earlier. Giant pandas have been at the National Zoo for the last 50 years and were perhaps the only subject in Washington D.C. that politicians didn’t argue over.
The black and white most adorable bears – Tian Tian,26, Mei Xiang,25, and their three-year-old cub, Xiao Qi Ji, left in crates and were loaded onto a FedEx aircraft at Dulles International Airport for the 19-hour journey back to China.
The pandas were fed their breakfast and then individually loaded into their custom made crates they have been acclimating to over the past several weeks. They were then taken to the airport where they left at approximately 1:00 p.m.
It is not known if younger great pandas might be sent to the United States some time next year which has been home to giant pandas for the last 50 years following President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972. At the time, Nixon opened diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries. It had been Pat Nixon, the First Lady who accepted the two pandas – Ling-Ling and Hsing Hsing citing “panda-monium” would soon break out at the zoo.
The Smithsonian National Zoo has spent millions over the years caring for and helping the pandas to breed healthy babies; they have paid $500,000 annually to their Chinese conservation counterpart.
Is China using the giant pandas as a political point? Zoo officials do not want the pandas to become political issues and have been reaching out to make tentative plans for more giant pandas to come to the United States. At this time, the only giant pandas in our country are at the Atlanta Zoo. The two babies, Ya Lun and Xi Lun, and the two adults are expected to remain but will head back to China in 2024.
Between China and zoos around the world, there are now more than 650 giant pandas in captivity. Their status has been downgraded from Endangered to Vulnerable on the global list of species at risk of extinction.
Wishing all the giant pandas the best of health, and wishing more giant pandas will be coming to the United States for all of us to watch and enjoy these beautiful bears.
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HOPE THEY WILL BE LOVED AS MUCH OR MORE! NOT SURE THAT IS POSSIBLE!