They’re cute! They’re furry! They’re about to say “bye!” The National Zoo in Washington, D.C., has three giant pandas. But the bears are going home. Officials plan to send them to China in December.
One of the pandas is Xiao Qi Ji. He just turned three years old. His parents are Mei Xiang and Tian Tian. Zoo experts plan to send the pandas to China by December 7. All wild giant pandas live in China’s bamboo forests.
China’s government has often sent away pandas. Officials do that to make friendships. Experts call this “panda .” One big example of panda diplomacy happened in 1972. U.S. President Richard Nixon met with leaders in China. It was the first time that U.S. officials and Chinese officials had talked in 25 years. China gave two pandas to first lady Pat Nixon. Those pandas were Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling. They went to the National Zoo.
In 1984, China changed its panda rules. The country would no longer send bears as gifts. Instead, China would the bears. Today, panda cubs must go back before they turn four.
Soon, only one U.S. zoo will have giant pandas. That’s the Atlanta Zoo in Georgia. Four pandas live there now. They are adults Lun Lun and Yang Yang and cubs Ya Lun and Xi Lun. The pandas will likely return to China next year.
Updated August 30, 2023, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Tyler Burdick