The National Zoo announced that Tai Shan 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. Part of the announcement was leaked to the media last night.  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. In the meantime, Tai will be trained to enter and calmly remain in a specially designed crate for his flight to China.

Under the agreement, giant panda cubs born at the National 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 National 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.

Since his public debut in December 2005, Tai Shan has delighted millions of visitors who have come to the Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat at the Zoo to see him. He also has touched fans from around the world through the Zoo’s giant panda web cam, which has drawn millions of visitors annually since his birth. Furthermore, he has helped awaken an appreciation for what it takes to conserve an endangered species and inspired many people to get involved in wildlife conservation.

Photo: (Tai Shan 09.12.2007 (© Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo))