TL/DR –
The National Zoo’s panda trio, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji, has departed the zoo for a trip back to China, making it the first time in 23 years the panda exhibit at the zoo will be empty. The pandas were escorted by police to Dulles International Airport in a motorcade and then loaded onto a FedEx plane, which will stop in Alaska for refueling before continuing to China. The departure marks the end of the “Panda Diplomacy” research agreement between the US and China, with the pandas expected to be relocated to the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
The Departure of National Zoo’s Beloved Pandas
The National Zoo’s cherished giant pandas are leaving D.C. for China, creating a void at the panda exhibit for the first time in 23 years. The pandas are being transported via a specially equipped FedEx plane.
National Zoo’s Giant Pandas
The first pandas arrived at the National Zoo in the 1970s. National Zoo Director Brandie Smith described their departure as “a hard morning” but also a “moment of joy” as it marks the success of the giant panda conservation program.
Panda Motorcade
Pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji were carried away in a presidential-style motorcade to Dulles International Airport. The pandas’ transition can be tracked on Flightradar24 using flight number N886FD.
Bye-Bye, Pandas
The pandas are leaving for China, where they’ll join the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Meanwhile, the zoo’s panda enclosure will undergo a $2.5 million renovation. The last pandas in the U.S. will remain at Zoo Atlanta.
‘Heartbroken for us’
D.C. residents and the pandas’ keepers are grieving their departure. Despite the sadness, Zoo Director Brandie Smith expressed excitement for their future and commitment to the zoo’s program.
A History of Giant Pandas in the District
The pandas have been a symbol of diplomatic relations between China and the U.S. since the first pair, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, were gifted in the 1970s. The current pair, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, arrived in 2000 as part of a loan agreement with China.
Previous Panda Departures
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian produced four surviving cubs over the years. The three oldest cubs, Tai Shan, Bao Bao, and Bei Bei, all moved to China when they were a few years old.
Why Are the Pandas Leaving Now?
The research agreement contract between the U.S. and China is expiring this year. This departure coincides with a wider trend of China pulling back its pandas from western zoos amid escalating diplomatic tensions.
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