Giant pandas to leave National Zoo earlier than expected
BALTIMORE -- The famous giant pandas of Washington D.C.'s National Zoo will be gone sooner than expected, the institution said Wednesday.
The panda family of three will be gone by mid-November, weeks before a longstanding agreement with Chinese conservationists ends.
"Make sure to plan your visit or tune in online to the Giant Panda Cam for your panda fix," the zoo said Wednesday.
Giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji will leave for China by mid-November. Make sure to plan your visit or tune in online to the Giant Panda Cam for your panda fix. 🐼 🐼 🐼🛫 https://t.co/GayMiE3riw pic.twitter.com/ngxPS76Cx7
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) October 25, 2023
The zoo is free, but Entry Passes are required for all guests, including infants.
Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub, Xiao Qi Ji, will return to China before the end of the "Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement" between the Zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association in December.
Giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived at the Zoo in 2000. The initial agreement was a 10-year agreement but it has been renewed three times since 2010.
The agreement ends on December 7, 2023.