- Tai Shan plays in his habitat at the National Zoo. Photo by Jeff Kubina, used under a Creative Commons license.
Admirers of the National Zoo’s 4-year-old giant panda, Tai Shan, will be able to say goodbye this month before he heads to China.
The “Farewell to Tai Shan” party will be held Jan. 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. More details about the event will be posted here.
Though Tai Shan was born at the zoo, an agreement with the Chinese government requires the panda to be returned to China.
Tai Shan was originally set to leave the U.S. when he was 2 years old, but an extension granted by China allowed him to stay with his mother, Mei Xiang, and father, Tian Tian.
The Washington Post reports that zoo officials are hoping for an extension on the contract for the adult pandas, as the 10-year agreement for them also expires this year.
