Zoo's Panda Fans Bid Tai Shan Farewell - DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

Zoo's Panda Fans Bid Tai Shan Farewell

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There's one last chance to see the popular panda Tai Shan at the National Zoo in Washington.

Wednesday is the 4-year-old animal's last day on view at the zoo. He will be sent to China on Thursday to become part of a breeding program.

Tai Shan was born at the zoo in 2005 and was granted a two-year extension in 2007. Under the Smithsonian's panda loan agreement, any cub born at the zoo must be returned to China for breeding.

Panda mother Mei Xiang and father Tian Tian are on a 10-year, $10 million loan until December.

Tai Shan will fly to China, along with 3-year-old female panda Mei Lan from Zoo Atlanta. They will have their own FedEx jet for the trip.

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FOX 5’s Holly Morris visited the National Zoo to find out more about the departure of beloved panda Tai Shan.

 

The National Zoo says 4-year-old panda Tai Shan is headed to a panda base in Sichuan, China next week. The zoo says the popular young giant panda will go to the Bifengxia Panda Base in the mountains of south-central China.

 

The National Zoo's farewell celebration for young panda Tai Shan ended early Saturday afternoon because of the snow, but not before the popular bear got a special frozen cake.

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