Tai Shan Leaves DC

The National Zoo officially announced this morning that DC’s  native son, Tai Shan, is departing for China in early 2010.  The exact dates of his trip have not been set, but final preparations are currently underway.

An agreement between China and the Zoo stipulates that giant panda cubs born here belong to China and must be sent to Sichuan when the cub reaches age 2. You may remember that Tai Shan turned 2 in 2007, but China has granted the Zoo a couple extensions so he could stay a little longer. Unfortunately, we’ve reached the end of our allowable time with Tai Shan and he must leave Washington.

Just like the process of moving Happy the Hippo to Wisconsin, Tai Shan will begin training to enter his travel crate for the long trip to China. He will become familiar with the crate so the experience is as comfortable as possible.

In China, Tai Shan will likely participate in a breeding program, so he can help improve the number of giant pandas. Having him here for so many years has greatly benefited the Zoo’s panda research and conservation efforts.

Millions of people  enjoyed watching Tai Shan grow into a healthy, happy panda through the hugely successful Panda Cam. Millions have also visited Tai Shan in his amazing home in the Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat at the National Zoo.

Make sure you stop by to see Tai Shan before he leaves for his new home. The Zoo will likely plan a farewell party for Tai Shan, so stay tuned for more information. Don’t forget that you can help sustain the Zoo’s panda conservation efforts by adopting a giant panda for the holidays.

Photo Credit: National Zoo website