Smithsonian’s Giant Pandas Begin Their Journey Back to China

In a bittersweet second, two beloved large pandas, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, together with their cub, Xiao Qi Ji, have formally begun their return journey to China after greater than 20 years on the Smithsonian’s Nationwide Zoo in america.

Their departure marks the top of a major chapter within the historical past of panda diplomacy and signifies the fruits of a analysis settlement that was set to run out.

These exceptional pandas, cherished by hundreds of thousands of tourists, are embarking on a 19-hour flight to a panda reserve in Chengdu, positioned in China’s Sichuan province.

Their mode of transportation, a 777F airplane named the “FedEx Panda Categorical,” highlights the extraordinary care and energy taken to make sure their protected and comfy journey.

The presence of large pandas in america may be traced again to 1972 when the U.S. acquired its first pandas from China. This alternate was impressed by the deep appreciation of pandas, with then-President Richard Nixon expressing his love for these endearing creatures. Through the years, pandas have come to represent goodwill between China and america, with their keep within the U.S. ruled by a singular settlement between the 2 nations.

Panda consultants and Conservation biologists have identified that Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, now of their later years, are at an age when they need to return to their homeland. Melissa Songer, a Conservation biologist on the Smithsonian Nationwide Zoo, pressured the significance of making certain the well-being of those pandas, saying, “They’re on the age when they need to be in China. I don’t need to have a panda cross away outdoors of China.”

With the departure of Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji, the Atlanta Zoo will turn into the only U.S. establishment housing large pandas, although they’re additionally set to return to China shortly. The Nationwide Zoo has expressed its intention to request a brand new pair of pandas from Chinese language officers, however there may be hypothesis that rising tensions between the U.S. and China might complicate future agreements associated to panda diplomacy.

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This text by Trinity Sparke was first printed by One Inexperienced Planet on 9 November 2023. Picture Credit score :Karel Cerny/Shutterstock.