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Bao Bao the giant panda leaves Washington zoo for new home in China Bao Bao the giant panda leaves Washington zoo for new home in China
(35 minutes later)
Bao Bao, a three-year-old giant panda who has called the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington home since her birth in 2013, left the zoo this morning for a one-way trip to China to join a panda breeding program. Bao Bao, a three-year-old giant panda who has called the Smithsonian’s national zoo in Washington home since her birth in 2013, left this morning for a one-way trip to China to join a panda breeding program.
The Chinese ambassador to Washington, Cui Tiankai, was at the zoo to receive the panda, who will travel with a keeper and veterinarian for company on the 16-hour non-stop flight to Chengdu, China. Bao Bao, whose specially built crate was placed on a truck for the trip to the airport, will travel with a supply of snacks including 55 pounds of bamboo, five pounds of apples and two pounds of sweet potatoes. The Chinese ambassador to Washington, Cui Tiankai, was at the zoo to receive the panda, who will travel with a keeper and veterinarian for company on the 16-hour nonstop flight to Chengdu. Bao Bao, whose specially built crate was placed on a truck for the trip to the airport, will travel with a supply of snacks including 55lbs (25kg) of bamboo, 5lbs (2kg) of apples and 2lbs (1kg) of sweet potatoes.
Bao Bao, whose personality is described as “very independent”, like a domestic cat, will travel aboard a specially chartered FedEx plane – the “Panda Express”– in a large box marked “one panda”. The plane is scheduled to leave Washington’s Dulles Airport at 1.30pm. Bao Bao’s departure will be covered on Live TV and on the zoo’s Facebook page. Bao Bao, whose personality is described as “very independent”, like a domestic cat, will travel aboard a specially chartered FedEx plane – the “Panda Express”– in a large box marked “one panda”. The plane is scheduled to leave Washington’s Dulles Airport at 1.30pm. Bao Bao’s departure will be covered on live TV and on the zoo’s Facebook page.
“Most of the flight, we hope she’s going to eat,” panda keeper and travel companion Marty Dearie told the Associated Press. Dearie added that pandas like to spend 13 to 16 hours a day eating. The National Zoo explained that Bao Bao is traveling now because it’s better for pandas to travel in the winter months, when it is cool. “Most of the flight, we hope she’s going to eat,” panda keeper and travel companion Marty Dearie told the Associated Press. Dearie added that pandas like to spend 13-16 hours a day eating. The national zoo explained that Bao Bao is traveling now because it’s better for pandas to travel in the winter months, when it is cool.
Once the cub arrives in China, she’ll be driven to her new home, one of the bases run by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.Once the cub arrives in China, she’ll be driven to her new home, one of the bases run by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.
Bao Bao, who currently weighs around 200 pounds, has been a central attraction at the National Zoo since her birth in August 2013. Her departure leaves the zoo with three remaining pandas. Bao Bao, who currently weighs around 200lbs (90kg), has been a central attraction at the national zoo since her birth in August 2013. Her departure leaves the zoo with three remaining pandas.
Bao Bao’s mother, Mei Xiang, gave birth to her first cub, Tai Shan, in 2005. That cub was given to China five years later. Under an agreement forged in the Nixon era, all pandas leased to the US by China still belong to Beijing, and foreign-born panda cubs, instilled with Chinese panda habits and behaviors, are generally sent there at around four years old to join a breeding program.Bao Bao’s mother, Mei Xiang, gave birth to her first cub, Tai Shan, in 2005. That cub was given to China five years later. Under an agreement forged in the Nixon era, all pandas leased to the US by China still belong to Beijing, and foreign-born panda cubs, instilled with Chinese panda habits and behaviors, are generally sent there at around four years old to join a breeding program.
After Tai Shan’s birth, Mei Xiang failed to conceive for seven years. A cub born a year before Bao Bao in 2012 did not survive. Then came Bao Bao. Finally, a third cub, Bao Bao’s younger brother Bei Bei, was born in 2015 and will remain at the zoo along with the parents, mother Mei Xiang and father Tian Tian. The two adults arrived on loan in 2000.After Tai Shan’s birth, Mei Xiang failed to conceive for seven years. A cub born a year before Bao Bao in 2012 did not survive. Then came Bao Bao. Finally, a third cub, Bao Bao’s younger brother Bei Bei, was born in 2015 and will remain at the zoo along with the parents, mother Mei Xiang and father Tian Tian. The two adults arrived on loan in 2000.
Laurie Thompson, the assistant curator of giant pandas at the zoo, said keepers have been preparing Bao Bao to leave for China since she was born. “We’re ready. We’ve done our part, and we’re ready to send her to China so she can have her own babies someday,” Thompson said.Laurie Thompson, the assistant curator of giant pandas at the zoo, said keepers have been preparing Bao Bao to leave for China since she was born. “We’re ready. We’ve done our part, and we’re ready to send her to China so she can have her own babies someday,” Thompson said.
The departure of Bao Bao continues a tradition that began when China gave the National Zoo a pair of pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, following Richard Nixon’s historic trip to the country in 1972. The pair had five cubs, but none survived. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are the zoo’s second panda pair. Under the terms of the agreement, the US pays China $10m for a renewable ten year lease on the couple. The departure of Bao Bao continues a tradition that began when China gave the national zoo a pair of pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, following Richard Nixon’s historic trip to the country in 1972. The pair had five cubs, but none survived. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are the zoo’s second panda pair. Under the terms of the agreement, the US pays China $10m for a renewable 10-year lease on the couple.