The National Zoo in D.C. says goodbye to its beloved giant pandas as Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji depart from the zoo after nearly two decades. This marks the first time in 23 years that the panda exhibit at the zoo will be empty. The pandas were sent off in a ceremony led by National Zoo Director Brandie Smith who called it a “hard morning.” The pandas were loaded into specially marked FedEx crates and driven to Dulles International Airport in Virginia where they will board a FedEx plane to China. The National Zoo confirmed that the pandas will be boarded on a special FedEx plane for a trip back to China.
A Chinese diplomat, Xu Xueyuan, had a parting message for the three pandas, saying, “As a diplomat in Washington, I say goodbye and bon voyage. As a Chinese official, I say welcome back.” This marks the end of an era for the National Zoo as the Giant Panda Cam was taken off the site with the following message in its place: “Thank you for visiting the Giant Panda Cam page. Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji have departed the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute and are now on their way to China,” reads the message.
The National Zoo plans to undergo a $2.5 million renovation after the pandas leave. Despite the sadness surrounding their departure, residents and tourists alike have expressed their well-wishes for the pandas in their new home. Panda fans will be able to track the plane carrying the pandas by using the plane’s number, N886FD, as it makes its way to China.