transfer

Mei Xiang Arrives at Smithsonian National Zoo

Mei Xiang traveled all the way from China to Washington, D.C. today! She will live at the Smithsonian National Zoo as part of a conservation partnership. 🐼✈️

Source: Smithsonian's National Zoo
Location: Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
On December 6, 2000, Mei Xiang arrived at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., marking the beginning of a new chapter in giant panda conservation cooperation between China and the United States. The two-year-old female panda was accompanied by her male counterpart, Tian Tian, as part of a 10-year loan agreement between the two nations. The pandas traveled via a specially configured aircraft equipped with climate control and monitoring systems to ensure their comfort and safety during the long journey from China. Upon arrival, they were given time to acclimate to their new surroundings in quarantine facilities before being introduced to their permanent habitat. Mei Xiang's transfer to the United States represented a significant milestone in international conservation efforts. The partnership aimed to advance scientific understanding of giant panda biology, reproduction, and behavior while raising public awareness about the species' conservation needs. At the National Zoo, Mei Xiang would become one of the most beloved animals in the institution's history, contributing to groundbreaking research and successful breeding programs that would advance global panda conservation knowledge.

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Photo 1 from Smithsonian's National Zoo

Update Details

  • Date: Dec 6, 2000
  • Type: transfer
  • Source: Smithsonian's National Zoo
  • Featured Update

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Photo of Mei Xiang

Mei Xiang

美香

Alive
27 years old
105 kg
Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Mei Xiang is a beloved panda at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C. She is known for being a wonderful mother to several cubs, including Xiao Qi Ji!

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Related Location

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Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

史密森尼国家动物园

Zoo
USA • Washington, D.C.
Est. 1889
38.9286, -77.0475

This is Mei Xiang's home in Washington, D.C.! It has beautiful habitats where pandas can climb, swim, and enjoy lots of bamboo.

nationalzoo.si.edu
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