WASHINGTON - The National Zoo knew this sad day was coming. It announced yesterday that Washington’s beloved adolescent giant panda, Tai Shan, is leaving his birthplace and being sent to China. Tai Shan, the first surviving giant panda cub born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, will be sent in January or February to the People’s Republic of China as stipulated in the agreement between the zoo and the Chinese government, zoo officials said. Although born at the zoo in Washington on July 9, 2005, Tai Shan always has been Chinese property. Under the long-term loan agreement that brought his parents to the United States - which expires a little more than a year from now - any offspring were to be sent to China when they turned 2.
The zoo paid China $600,000 for Tai Shan’s original stay. In April 2007, the zoo announced a new agreement with China, allowing Tai Shan to stay in Washington for free for two more years. Zoo officials had asked for another extension that would have allowed Tai to stay an additional year, but China declined the request. Now it seems that Tai’s time here is about up.
The panda’s return to China will end a four-year love affair between a town ruled by the blood sport of politics and a rotund, bamboo-munching, black-and-white animal.
Zoogoers have watched him grow from a squealing butter-stick-size infant to an almost 200-pound youth. Since his debut Dec. 8, 2005, Tai Shan has been a superstar, drawing millions of visitors to the zoo and tens of millions of fans to the panda cams on the zoo’s website.
The panda has been on wallpaper and the cover of magazines. He has been the subject of a documentary, the model for zoo merchandise and personal tattoos, and the inspiration for a fan club, Pandas Unlimited. The zoo just announced his appearance on a postage stamp.
Tai Shan’s parents also are at the zoo under an agreement.
source: boston.com
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