D.C.'s Panda Heads Home To China
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Dec. 4, 2009 -- Tai Shan, the Washington National Zoo's only surviving giant panda cub born in captivity and a huge attraction, will return to China early next year.
Zoo officials announced Friday morning that Tai Shan will be leaving the Smithsonian park in January or February. (Story continues below.)
At 4 months old, Tai Shan made his debut at the Smithsonian National Zoo on Nov. 29, 2005.
Photo credit: AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta
The fuzzy creature, whose name means "peaceful mountain" in Chinese, celebrated his first birthday in 2006, playing for the cameras.
Photo credit: AP Photo/Smithsonian Institution, Ann Batdorf
At age four -- a teenager in "bear years" -- Tai Shan enjoyed a frozen birthday cake make from beet juice, fruit and bamboo.
Photo credit: AP Photo/Smithsonian National Zoo, Mehgan Murphy
Under the Smithsonian's panda loan agreement, any cub born at the zoo must be returned to China for breeding. Tai Shan was born in 2005 and was supposed to be sent back to China in 2007, but the zoo was granted an extension to keep the panda for two more years.
Acting Zoo Director Steve Monfort says the zoo asked to keep Tai Shan until his parents' stay expires, but a panda conservation group decided he should become part of their breeding program.
Panda mother Mei Xiang and father Tian Tian are on a 10-year, $10 million loan to the zoo until 2010.
Giant pandas are an endangered species.
Source: Associated Press
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