I'm sure I'm not the only one who got a little choked up this morning watching the coverage of the pandas' departure for China. I watched Tai Shan grow up on the National Zoo webcam and went to visit him in Fall of 2006 when he was one-and-a-half years old. What a charismatic little bear! I couldn't take my eyes off of him.
He was supposed to go to China when he was two, but the zoo was allowed to keep him for a couple of extra years. We were lucky for the extra time but still, it's sad to see him go. The annual panda pregnancy watch is on, so maybe there will be another baby panda born in DC this year. Godspeed Tai!
Photos and videos of the cute one departing on the FedEx Panda Express are on the National Zoo's Flickr pages.
Comments (7)
Lovely photo, Annie. All bears are fascinating, but there is something special about Pandas!
Posted by sandrac | February 4, 2010 4:52 PM
Posted on February 4, 2010 16:52
I need to make a beaded Panda painting. They are beautiful animals!
Posted by LB | February 5, 2010 11:05 AM
Posted on February 5, 2010 11:05
Tai Shan = tall/high/big mountain. What a cool name for a cool creature. :)
Posted by YTSL | February 5, 2010 9:11 PM
Posted on February 5, 2010 21:11
Sandra, I'm a a big fan of all bears but I agree, there's something special about pandas. I'm so glad I went to visit Tai while he was here in the US.
LB, I'd love to see what you can do with beads and pandas!
YTSL, awesome! I'm happy to get a translation of his name from someone in Hong Kong!
Posted by Annie | February 5, 2010 9:24 PM
Posted on February 5, 2010 21:24
He is so cute! One of my best memories of visiting Washington DC as a child was seeing the Pandas at the Zoo. I think I was there soon after the first Pandas arrived. I am glad you were able to visit Tai while he was here. Hope he does ok in the wild.
Posted by girasoli | February 7, 2010 5:06 PM
Posted on February 7, 2010 17:06
Girasoli, I went to visit those first pandas too when I was a kid. Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing, I think? It was great.
Actually, Tai Shan won't be released into the wild; he's going to be part of a breeding program in China. Hope he's able to help bring more babies into the world!
Posted by Annie | February 8, 2010 10:30 AM
Posted on February 8, 2010 10:30
Such a beautiful animal!
Posted by nancyhol | February 15, 2010 12:07 AM
Posted on February 15, 2010 00:07