{"id":2094074,"date":"2023-11-08T14:41:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-08T19:41:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/panda-express-animal-lovers-bid-farewell-to-furry-friends-leaving-dc-zoo\/"},"modified":"2023-11-08T14:45:00","modified_gmt":"2023-11-08T19:45:00","slug":"panda-express-animal-lovers-bid-farewell-to-furry-friends-leaving-dc-zoo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/panda-express-animal-lovers-bid-farewell-to-furry-friends-leaving-dc-zoo\/","title":{"rendered":"Panda express: Animal lovers bid farewell to furry friends leaving DC zoo"},"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%2Fpanda-express-animal-lovers-bid-farewell-to-furry-friends-leaving-dc-zoo%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=2094074&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>Social Media Users Bid Farewell to Smithsonian Giant Pandas<\/h2>\n<p>Social media users are expressing a mix of sadness and joy as the beloved\u200c giant pandas of the Smithsonian National Zoo begin their journey back to \u200cChina. Giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian,\u2064 and their \u2064adorable three-year-old \u2064cub Xiao Qi Ji \u2064have bid farewell to\u2064 the Smithsonian\u2019s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and have \u2062arrived at Dulles International\u2062 Airport. Their \u2063next stop is Chengdu, China, where they\u2064 will be taken care of by the China Wildlife Conservation Society.<\/p>\n<h3>Goodbye\u200c Pandas, Hello Memes!<\/h3>\n<p>As the zoo prepares to open for the first time in \u206323 years with the panda exhibit remaining closed, several <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-furious-ca-restaurant-owner-confronts-inspectors-issuing-citation-are-you-gonna-pay-my-rent\/\" title=\"WATCH: Furious CA Restaurant Owner Confronts Inspectors Issuing Citation: \u2018Are You Gonna Pay My Rent?\u2019\">social media users<\/a>, local governments, and journalists have taken to X (formerly \u200dTwitter) to share memes, poke fun, \u200cand bid farewell to the pandas. Liz Charboneau, vice president of research at American Bridge 21st Century, posted\u200b a\u200b meme from the popular TV show \u200cSuccession\u2064 in response to a video showing the FedEx trucks carrying the pandas&#8217; crates to \u2064Dulles. The post has garnered over 105,000 views\u2064 and more than 1,500 likes. Noah Sadlier, communications \u2062director for Rep. John James (R-MI), \u2064even dubbed Elton John&#8217;s &#8220;Tiny Dancer&#8221; over \u200bthe same video.<\/p>\n<p>Not missing a chance to tease\u200c Congress, the D.C. City Council posted a photo of the pandas on the \u2062district&#8217;s flag, taking a playful jab at\u2063 the \u200dU.S. Congress for denying\u2063 statehood to \u2063the district.\u2063 &#8220;We will greatly \u2062miss the pandas. They fit in so well here in DC. After all, they had the exact same vote in Congress the other 700K of us \u2064do,&#8221; the City Council posted on X.<\/p>\n<p>Martin Austermuhle, a former local Washington, D.C., reporter, came up with an amusing plan to keep the pandas in\u2062 the district, suggesting that FedEx\u2063 &#8220;loses&#8221; the shipment on the way to China or that an\u2064 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/panda-express-animal-lovers-bid-farewell-to-furry-friends-leaving-dc-zoo\/\" title=\"Panda express: Animal lovers bid farewell to furry friends leaving DC zoo\">intrepid porch pirate steals<\/a> the pandas back once they are delivered in China. Austermuhle&#8217;s creative \u2064ideas sparked laughter among social media users.<\/p>\n<h2>The End of an \u200bEra<\/h2>\n<p>The pandas&#8217; stay in the\u200b U.S. was part of a partnership\u200c between \u2063the zoo&#8217;s Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement and the China Wildlife Conservation \u2062Society. Originally, the pandas were \u2063expected to stay in the \u2063U.S. for 10 years\u2062 as part of \u2064a $10 million \u200ddeal with China, but the agreement was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/student-loan-restart-payments-to-resume-in-10-days-as-federal-pause-ends\/\" title=\"Student loan payments set to resume in 10 days as federal pause concludes.\">extended multiple\u200d times<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji&#8217;s stay in the U.S. \u2063was set to expire\u200d on Dec. 7, but the zoo announced in October that they would leave sometime before Nov. 15. According to the original agreement, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian&#8217;s cubs must be returned to China when they turn 4 years old. Although Xiao Qi Ji is only 3 years old, officials decided in 2020 that it&#8217;s in the \u2064cub&#8217;s best interest to move with his parents.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Click \u200dhere to read more from\u200b The Washington Examiner.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What\u2062 role has the \u200dSmithsonian National\u2063 Zoo played in panda \u200bconservation and raising awareness about their conservation status<\/h2>\n<p><span>  E, shared a meme featuring a sad-faced panda with the caption, \u201cMe when I heard the pandas were leaving. \ud83d\ude2d\u201d The\u2064 meme quickly gained popularity and was shared by \u2064many\u2064 users, eliciting \u200bboth \u200dlaughter \u200dand tears.<\/p>\n<p>Local\u2063 governments\u2063 are also joining in on the fun. \u2063The mayor of \u2062Washington D.C., Muriel Bowser, tweeted a photoshopped image\u2062 of herself waving goodbye to the pandas at the airport. The tweet was accompanied by the caption,\u2062 \u201cSad to see\u200c them\u2064 go, but \u200bgrateful for\u2062 the memories. Safe travels, pandas!\u2064 \ud83d\udc3c\u2708\ufe0f\u201d\u2062 Other\u2063 cities and towns across\u200c the \u2062country have followed \u200bsuit,\u200b expressing their own disappointments at the pandas&#8217; \u2063departure through \u200dcreative and humorous posts.<\/p>\n<p>Journalists from various media outlets have\u2063 also \u2064joined the virtual\u2063 farewell party.\u200b News \u200canchors and reporters have been\u2063 sharing their favorite pictures, videos, and memories of the\u200c pandas\u2063 on their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-new-acting-attorney-general-jeff-rosen-recently-wrote-an-essay-on-foreign-influence-in-us-elections-this-tells-us-a-little-about-his-knowledge-of-whats-going-on-today\/\" title=\"The New Acting Attorney General Jeff Rosen Recently Wrote an Essay on Foreign Influence in US Elections \u2013 This Tells Us A Little About His Knowledge of What\u2019s Going On Today\">social media platforms<\/a>. \u2062Many have thanked the \u200dpandas\u2064 for bringing joy and happiness to the\u200d community during their stay\u200c at the National Zoo.<\/p>\n<p>However, amidst the playful and sentimental posts, there is also a sense of gratitude and appreciation\u200b for the work done by the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Numerous users\u200b have\u2062 acknowledged the zoo&#8217;s dedication to panda conservation and their efforts to ensure the well-being of \u2064these magnificent\u2064 creatures.\u2062 The panda exhibit at\u2062 the zoo has played a vital role in raising awareness about the conservation\u200d status of giant pandas and the challenges \u200bthey face in the wild.<\/p>\n<p>While it is\u200d sad \u2064to bid farewell to \u2062Mei \u2063Xiang,\u2062 Tian Tian, \u200band Xiao Qi Ji, their departure marks \u2062the beginning of a new \u2064chapter\u200b in their lives. In \u2063China, they will continue to \u2062contribute to endangered species conservation\u200b efforts and participate in\u200d the breeding program to ensure the survival of their species.<\/p>\n<p>As social media users bid\u200c their final goodbyes,\u2063 it \u2062is\u200c clear\u200b that the giant pandas have left a\u2064 lasting impact on the hearts \u2063of many. Their playful antics,\u2062 cuddly appearances, and conservation message have made them adored by people from all walks\u200b of life. Although they \u200cmay no longer be physically present at\u2064 the\u2062 National Zoo, the memories \u2062and joy they brought will forever remain in the hearts of those\u2062 who had the\u2063 privilege of witnessing their presence.<\/p>\n<p>In the coming days, \u2062social media will continue to buzz \u200dwith posts \u200cand \u200bnews about \u2064the pandas,\u2064 as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/heidi-klum-reacts-to-daughter-following-in-her-footsteps-as-a-model\/\" title=\"Heidi Klum's daughter follows her modeling path, and she reacts.\">people eagerly follow<\/a> their journey to Chengdu. As they \u200bsettle \u2063into their new\u2062 home, it is hoped that \u2062Mei Xiang, \u2063Tian Tian, and \u200cXiao Qi Ji\u200c will \u200bcontinue\u200c to thrive, live long healthy lives, \u200dand contribute\u200b to \u200dthe\u2062 conservation of their species.<\/p>\n<p>Farewell, \u2064beloved pandas. Thank you\u2063 for the joy, \u200claughter, and memories. You will be missed, \u2063but your legacy will endure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Social media users are both saddened and finding solace in the Smithsonian National Zoo&#8217;s giant pandas. Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji embarked on their journey back to China, leaving the zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Moments of joy and sorrow are being shared online.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2094075,"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-2094074","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\/2094074","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=2094074"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2094074\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2094075"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2094074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2094074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2094074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}