{"id":2042271,"date":"2023-09-23T05:30:02","date_gmt":"2023-09-23T09:30:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dc-national-zoo-launches-festival-to-say-farewell-to-giant-pandas-returning-to-china\/"},"modified":"2023-09-23T05:36:10","modified_gmt":"2023-09-23T09:36:10","slug":"dc-national-zoo-launches-festival-to-say-farewell-to-giant-pandas-returning-to-china","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dc-national-zoo-launches-festival-to-say-farewell-to-giant-pandas-returning-to-china\/","title":{"rendered":"DC National Zoo hosts farewell festival for giant pandas returning to China."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdc-national-zoo-launches-festival-to-say-farewell-to-giant-pandas-returning-to-china%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2042271&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>The Washington, D.C.\u2062 National Zoo Bids Farewell to Beloved Giant\u200d Pandas<\/h2>\n<p>The time has come\u200d for\u200c the iconic giant pandas of \u200dthe Washington, \u2062D.C. National Zoo to bid adieu. After\u200c residing \u2062in the nation&#8217;s capital\u200b for over two\u2063 decades,\u200b they will be returning to China by the end of \u200bthis year.<\/p>\n<p>Back \u200bin \u200bDecember 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, the lovable giant pandas, made \u200btheir grand entrance at the zoo. Thanks to\u2064 the Giant \u2064Panda Cooperative Research and\u200b Breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation \u200cAssociation, their stay\u200b has been extended three\u200c times \u2063since 2010.<\/p>\n<p>This latest renewal is set to expire on December 7, 2023. \u200bBut before that, the zoo is hosting\u2063 a\u2063 spectacular nine-day event called &#8220;Panda Palooza&#8221; to celebrate these magnificent creatures and bid\u200c them farewell. \u2062The festival will be packed with panda-themed activities and a chance to meet the pandas and \u200btheir adorable cub, Xiao \u200bQi Ji. However, \u200bthere&#8217;s a twist &#8211; \u2063the event coincides with \u2064the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/in-india-and-vietnam-biden-will-seek-to-challenge-chinas-global-ambitions\/\" title=\"Biden to confront China's global goals in India and Vietnam.\">potential government\u2062 shutdown<\/a> on\u200b October 1, which could temporarily close \u200cthe\u200c zoo.<\/p>\n<h3>What to Expect at Panda Palooza<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Arts-and-crafts areas<\/li>\n<li>Play sections<\/li>\n<li>A conservation-themed scavenger \u200dhunt<\/li>\n<li>Live music<\/li>\n<li>Film screenings of\u2063 Kung Fu \u2064Panda and The \u2064Miracle \u2062Panda at \u2064the \u2062Visitor Center Theater<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Xiao Qi Ji is\u2062 the latest \u2062addition to Mei Xiang&#8217;s family,\u2062 joining his siblings Bei Bei, Bao Bao,\u200c and Tai Shan, who were all sent back to China over the past 13 years. The Embassy of the People&#8217;s Republic of China will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dc-national-zoo-launches-festival-to-say-farewell-to-giant-pandas-returning-to-china\/\" title=\"DC National Zoo hosts farewell festival for giant pandas returning to China.\">generously provide celebratory food items<\/a> \u2063during the\u2062 event, adding to the festive atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>Since 1972, the National\u200c Zoo has been a\u2062 home to pandas, collaborating with\u200d China to study their biology, behavior, and diseases. In fact, 2022 marked\u200d the 50th \u200banniversary\u200c of\u200c the first giant pandas arriving at the\u2064 zoo.<\/p>\n<p>The \u200boriginal panda duo, Ling-Ling and\u200c Hsing-Hsing, \u200ccaptured\u2062 hearts during their 20-year stay together. Sadly, Ling-Ling passed away in 1992 due to heart \u2063failure at the age of 23, while Hsing-Hsing was euthanized in 1999 after \u200bbattling age-related diseases.<\/p>\n<p>For\u200b over\u200b 25 years, giant pandas were\u2062 listed as an\u2064 endangered species until 2016 \u2062when their status was downgraded to &#8220;vulnerable&#8221; by \u2062the International Union for Conservation of Nature. China followed \u200csuit and reclassified\u200c the\u2063 species as &#8220;vulnerable&#8221; in 2021.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re collaborating with our Chinese partners to establish a new giant \u200dpanda program,&#8221; stated Annalisa Meyer, a spokesperson for \u2062the National Zoo, in an August statement.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;After 51 \u200cyears of successful conservation efforts, we remain dedicated to protecting this species and gaining \u2063a \u200bdeeper understanding of the giant panda&#8217;s habitat. We have achieved so much, but now \u2063we must focus on the future and\u2064 determine how to combine our expertise and \u200bresources to achieve new <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-environmental-appointee-faces-conflict-of-interest-scrutiny-on-hill\/\" title=\"Biden Environmental Appointee Faces Conflict of Interest Scrutiny on Hill\">conservation goals<\/a>,&#8221; she\u200c added.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the National Zoo&#8217;s efforts \u200dto negotiate with Chinese officials to keep\u200c the\u200d pandas in Washington indefinitely, it seems that an agreement has not been\u200b reached.<\/p>\n<p>The zoo \u2062has officially declared that the most recent birthdays\u2064 of the pandas,\u2064 including Tian \u2062Tian&#8217;s upcoming celebration\u200c this Sunday, \u200cwill be their final birthdays in\u2064 Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read more from the \u2062Washington \u2064Examiner:<\/strong> <a href=\"#\">Click here<\/a><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What is the\u2062 significance of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian becoming symbols of \u200bconservation and goodwill \u200cbetween the United States and \u2064China?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  \u200c And Tian Tian. Born on August 21, 2020, Xiao Qi Ji has quickly captured the hearts \u200dof zoo visitors and panda enthusiasts. During Panda Palooza,\u200b visitors will have the opportunity to\u200b see \u200cthe cub up close and learn about the conservation efforts being made to protect these endangered species.<\/p>\n<p>While saying goodbye to Mei Xiang,\u200c Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji will be\u200c bittersweet,\u2064 their return\u2064 to China\u2062 serves an important purpose. The giant \u200cpandas are on loan to \u2064the\u200c National Zoo as\u2063 part of an \u2063agreement\u2062 to support breeding and conservation efforts. By returning to their native\u2063 country, they will continue to contribute\u2063 to the global \u2062giant panda population and help ensure the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-vowed-to-elect-more-women-they-did-just-that\/\" title=\"Republicans Vowed To Elect More Women...They Did Just That\">long-term survival<\/a> of the species.<\/p>\n<p>The departure of these beloved pandas will mark the end of an \u200dera at the Washington, D.C. National Zoo. Over the years, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have become symbols \u200dof conservation and goodwill between the \u200dUnited States and China. They have brought joy\u2063 to millions of\u200c visitors and served as\u2063 ambassadors for their\u200d species.<\/p>\n<p>As the National Zoo bids farewell to these \u2062iconic pandas, it \u2063is also looking towards the future. Plans are already underway to bring a new pair of giant pandas \u2063to the zoo in \u200dthe coming\u2062 years. These \u200cnew arrivals will \u2063continue the important work of educating the public about the conservation needs of giant pandas and\u200d other\u200b endangered species.<\/p>\n<p>Although it will be hard to say goodbye,\u2064 the legacy of Mei \u2063Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji will \u200d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/no-spike-in-florida-coronavirus-cases-despite-no-mask-mandate\/\" title=\"No Spike in Florida Coronavirus Cases Despite No Mask Mandate\">live<\/a> on. Their time at\u2062 the Washington, \u200cD.C. \u200dNational Zoo has left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of visitors. As they return to their homeland, they carry with them the hope of a brighter future for \u200bgiant pandas and a reminder of the\u2062 importance of conservation efforts.<\/p>\n<p>Farewell, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji. \u200cThank you for bringing joy and wonder to the nation&#8217;s capital for more\u2064 than two decades. Your presence\u2062 will be greatly missed, but your\u2063 legacy will continue to inspire generations to come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Washington, D.C., National Zoo bids farewell to its renowned giant pandas. After residing in the capital for 20 years, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian will return to China by year-end. These beloved pandas arrived in December 2000 and have since delighted visitors with their presence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2042272,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2042271","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2042271","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2042271"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2042271\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2042272"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2042271"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2042271"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2042271"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}