再见我们将想念您! We’ll miss you, Tai Shan!
Tai Shan, the first surviving giant panda cub born at the National Zoo, will be sent to the People’s Republic of China in early 2010, as stipulated in the agreement between the Zoo and the Chinese government. The exact date of his departure has not been determined due to the lengthy process of finalizing permits and preparing Tai Shan for the trip.
Under the agreement, giant panda cubs born at the Zoo belong to China and are to be sent to the Wolong’s Beifengxia Base in Ya’an, Sichuan sometime after the cub turns two. In April 2007, shortly before his second birthday, China granted the Zoo a two-year extension for Tai Shan to remain in Washington, D.C.; that extension expired in July but the Zoo was provided a second extension to January 2010.
The National Zoo's Chief Veterinarian Dr. Suzan Murray (right), Curator of Primates and Giant Pandas Lisa Stevens (center) and animal keeper Nicole Meese (left) conducted a health exam on Tai Shan when he was a cub in 2005. (phot by Jessie Cohen)
Tai Shan, whose name means “peaceful mountain” in Chinese, will be trained to enter and calmly remain in a specially designed crate for his flight to China. Logistics and details for the safe transport of the panda are being finalized. It is expected that Tai Shan will enter the breeding program in China, where he will contribute to species conservation.
Tai Shan was born at 3:41 a.m. July 9, 2005, weighing only a few ounces at birth. The first cub for mother Mei Xiang and father Tian Tian, he was conceived through artificial insemination March 11, 2005, in a procedure performed by National Zoo scientists and veterinarians.
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian also belong to China and are on a 10-year loan as part of a research, conservation and breeding program. This agreement expires in December 2010. National Zoo and Chinese officials will not begin negotiations about their future until spring 2010.
Mei Xiang and Tai Shan (Photo by Jessie Cohen)
Since his public debut in December 2005, Tai Shan has delighted millions of visitors to the Zoo and drawn millions more fans from around the world who keep tabs on him through the Zoo’s giant panda webcam. “Tai Shan leaving Washington is terribly sad for the Zoo, the community and his fans around the world,” said acting National Zoo Director Steve Monfort. “He has become so special to the staff and the public–and we have learned so much from him in just four short years. By providing a two-year extension, our Chinese partner, the China Wildlife Conservation Association, allowed us the chance to learn more about giant pandas by charting his growth and development. It’s hard to say goodbye, but we are so thankful for the many memories and huge opportunities Tai has provided to the National Zoo.”
The National Zoo is a recognized leader in the care and study of the giant panda. The Zoo has worked for decades to conserve this endangered species and intends to continue its commitment to giant panda research in China and at the Zoo. About 1,600 giant pandas exist in the wild and nearly 300 live in zoos and research facilities in China and around the world. The Zoo’s chief curator, Brandie Smith, will be answering questions about Tai Shan and giant panda conservation live online today at noon on washingtonpost.com.
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Posted: 4 December 2009
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