STORY: Farewell for giant pandas brings warmth to Washington's autumn chill
DATELINE: Oct. 1, 2023
LENGTH: 00:05:11
LOCATION: Washington D.C.
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Tian Tian (Sept. 23)
2. various of Mei Xiang (Sept. 23)
3. various of Xiao Qi Ji (Sept. 23)
4. various of the event on Sept. 23
5. various of the event on Sept. 30

STORYLINE:

Despite the autumn chill on an early Saturday morning, Washingtonians and visitors from across the United States flocked to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in the nation's capital, seizing what would perhaps be their last chance to see the three giant pandas which are to leave for China later this year.

Honoring its agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA), the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute will send Xiao Qi Ji, who was born at the zoo three years ago, his mom Mei Xiang, and his dad Tian Tian back to China by early December.

To celebrate the joy the pandas have brought to the American people and say goodbye to them, the zoo held a "giant farewell" event during the week ending on Saturday.

Over the entire week, the event has attracted avid panda lovers to come over. They gathered behind the fences surrounding the outdoor yard or queued up in lines, all to see the cute bears with their own eyes.

Since arriving in Washington in 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian have had four cubs, three of which have already gone back to China. The fourth one, Xiao Qi Ji, has become the most loved inhabitant of the zoo since his birth on Aug. 21, 2020.

Meaning "little miracle" in English, Xiao Qi Ji's name was to mark his miraculous coming into the world, not only because it was during the coronavirus pandemic when people were generally in low spirit, but also because Mei Xiang, 22 years old then, was thought by many experts as being "practically post-reproductive" based on data available at the time.

Collaboration between China and the United States on panda conservation dates back to 51 years ago when the first panda pair that the Chinese government sent to the United States -- Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing -- arrived at the Smithsonian's National Zoo.

The current agreement guiding the cooperation on panda conservation and research between the Smithsonian's National Zoo and CWCA is set to expire on Dec. 7. 

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Washington D.C.
(XHTV)