D.C. National Zoo Has Zero Pandas For The First Time In 23 Years

The National Zoo in Washington, D.C., bid farewell to its three pandas who returned to China after 23 years in the United States.

The bears were transported on a "FedEx Panda Express" for a 19-hour flight to Chengdu, China. They were accompanied by a veterinarian and panda keepers who ensured their well-being and provided food during the journey.

On November 8, the Smithsonian's National Zoo's three pandas, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and their three-year-old Xiao Qi Ji, began their journey back to Chengdu, China, after being in the United States for 23 years.

The bears who took off for their home country from Washington D.C. were loaded onto their individual FedEx 800-pound steel and plexiglass crates at the National Zoo and transported to the Dulles International Airport. The crates have also been maximized for comfort during the long journey, with a tray fitted underneath to contain any waste.

The bears will be transported on a Boeing 777F aircraft fondly dubbed the "FedEx Panda Express" for the 19-hour flight to Chengdu with a stopover in Anchorage, Alaska.

Accompanying the panda on their journey home are a veterinarian and two panda keepers, whose mission is to cater to the giant bears and supply them with food for the long haul.

To sustain the pandas during the flight, they will be supplied with an assortment of provisions, including around 220 pounds of bamboo, 8 pounds of leaf eater biscuits, 5 pounds of low-starch biscuits, 6 pounds of apples, 5 pounds of carrots, 6 pounds of sweet potatoes, 3 pounds of sugar cane, 1 pound of pears, and 1 pound of cooked squash.

The staff will ensure that the pandas are well catered to and that their routine remains unchanged throughout the flight.

Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji's departure will create a vacuum as the National Zoo will be without pandas for the first time in 23 years.

Mei Xiang and Tian Tian first arrived at the National Zoo in December 2000, following the first Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

According to the agreement, the panda couple was on loan to the zoo for ten years after it provided funds for panda conservation programs. However, the initial agreement was renewed severally, with the final expiration date set for December 7, 2023.

In an interview with People Magazine, zoo spokesperson Annalisa Meyer shared that the zoo has made adequate preparations for the pandas' send-off. "The good news is that we've done this before," she said. "What makes this journey unique is that there are three pandas departing."

She revealed that the panda and their trainers had several practice runs, voluntarily entering and getting comfortable in their crates before the day of departure.

Mei Xiang gave birth to seven cubs during her two-decade stay in the United States. Unfortunately, three of the Cubs died before reaching adulthood, and three of the Cubs have already been relocated to China.

The seventh Cub, Xiao Qi Ji, now traveling with its parents back home, will join its three siblings in a breeding program. On the other hand, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian will enjoy their long retirement at the China Conservation Research Center for the Giant Panda.

In a statement, Meyer highlighted the importance of the collaboration between the National Zoo and China in saving the giant pandas from extinction. She stated: "Our breakthroughs in giant panda biology, behavior, reproduction, health, and habitat research helped move the giant panda off the endangered species list."

After the National Zoo pandas' return to China, only four giant pandas, Lun Lun and Yang Yang, and their offspring Ya Lun and Xi Lun at the Atlanta Zoo will remain in the U.S. However, talks to obtain new pandas are expected to start with the China Wildlife Conservation Association.