National Zoo’s Pandas Depart for China, Marking End of More Than 50-Year Program

The beloved giant pandas that have been housed at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. departed for a flight to China, marking the end of a more than 50-year program.

Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and their three-year-old son, Xiao Qi Ji were placed in three separate FedEx trucks which were spotted departing the National Zoo on Wednesday morning, according to a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, by NBC4 Washington showing the panda motorcade.

The two adult pandas, Mei Xiang, who is a female and Tian Tian first arrived in the United States on December 6, 2000, as part of an agreement between the National Zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation.

Over the years, this agreement has been renewed three times, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo's website .

Brandie Smith, the Director at the National Zoo told NBC 4 Washington that it was a "moment of joy" as this was "one more step in 50 years of a successful giant panda conservation."

"Please know the future is bright for giant pandas," Smith said. "We remain committed to our program, and we look forward to celebrating with all of you when pandas can return to D.C."

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On April 16, 1972, Hsing-Hsing and Ling-Ling, the first pandas, arrived at the National Smith as a gift from China after former President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China.

The pandas ended up producing five cubs over the 20 years they lived at the zoo, however, none of them survived more than a couple of days.

Ling-Ling was reported to have died on December 30, 1992, after a zoo keeper went to find her for an afternoon feeding and found that she had collapsed suddenly after heart failure.

On November 29, 1999, Hsing-Hsing passed away after zoo keepers gave him a lethal injection due to his diagnosis of an irreversible kidney disease, according to The New York Times .

Until Mei Xiang and Tian Tian's arrival in 2000, the National Zoo remained without pandas.

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The three pandas were spotted arriving at Dulles International Airport Wednesday morning. They will be transported on a Boeing 777 which is set to depart later this afternoon and will refuel in Alaska before continuing to China.

Two zoo keepers from the Smithsonian as well as a veterinarian will travel with the pandas on their 19-hour journey, and the pandas will be provided with apples, pears and bamboo.