National Zoo Panda Bei Bei Will Move to China in November
All panda cubs at the National Zoo move to China when they are 4 years old
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Say goodbye to Bei Bei.
The 4-year-old panda will leave the National Zoo and D.C. to return to China on Nov. 19, the National Zoo said in a press release.
The giant panda cub was born to mom Mei Xiang and dad Tian Tian at the Washington National Zoological Park on Aug. 22, 2015. Bei Bei's been living apart from his mother since March 2017, the zoo says.
"Bei Bei is part of our family," said zoo director Steve Monfort in a statement. "We’re sad he’s leaving, but excited for the contributions he will make to the global giant panda population."
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Bei Bei the giant panda turned four on Aug. 22, 2019, his last birthday celebration at the National Zoo before being returned to China under a breeding agreement.
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He's all grown up! Bei Bei, the National Zoo's 4-year-old giant panda, will leave D.C. to move to China on Nov. 19. He was born to mom Mei Xiang and dad Tian Tian at the zoo on Aug. 22, 2015. Here he was celebrating his 4th birthday.
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Bei Bei celebrated by chomping down on a specially made frozen cake filled with fruit.
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Bei Bei may have been growing out of babyhood by the time a snowstorm rolled over D.C. in February 2019, but he was captured on the Panda Cam having a blast. Watch the video here.
Roshan Patel, Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Bei Bei celebrated his third birthday with an ice cake made of frozen fruit juice, shredded carrot donuts, bamboo, and assorted produce.
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Bei Bei the giant panda rolls around a log sprinkled with pumpkin spice in October 2018.
National Zoo
Bei Bei had to have known something special was going on for his second birthday because he climbed right in to his "birthday boy" box.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
The National Zoo's Panda House briefly closed in fall of 2016 after Bei Bei underwent emergency surgery to remove a dense, masticated lemon-sized mass of bamboo stuck in his bowels. Fortunately, Bei Bei recovered nicely.
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Bei Bei, his big sister Bao Bao, and father Tian Tian all celebrate their birthdays in August.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Delish! Bei Bei digs into his first birthday cake.
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In March 2016, Bei Bei proved yet again that the most ordinary things become extraordinarily cute when he does them — e.g., eating an apple.
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Keepers prepped Bei Bei for his public debut in January 2016. Bei Bei seemed right at home during an event shortly before his debut, posing and playing — in a panda cub-sized playpen! — as visitors watched with delight.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
By November 2015, Bei Bei weighed 12.5 pounds and had begun walking.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Bei Bei was getting hefty by two months old! He weighed almost a full pound more than his older brother, Tai Shan, at the same age, the zoo said.
Smithsonian's National Zoo Panda Cam
"The classic nose to nose nuzzle!" the zoo tweeted in fall 2015. "Thx to Janet Crouse for sharing."
Smithsonian's National Zoo Panda Cam
On Sept. 29, 2015, the zoo shared a precious video of Bei Bei sneezing while snoozing with his mom. Go ahead, watch it 50 times. We'll wait.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
By the time he was six weeks old, the days of being tiny, hairless and helpless were gone! The cub now sported black-and-white fur and was wiggling around his den.
Joseph Kaczmarek
At about three weeks old, the cub was looking decidedly panda-like. Here is he at 1.9 pounds on Sept. 14, 2015.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
In mid-September 2015, the zoo said that the newborn was sleeping for much of the day, which is normal. Keepers said he sleeps with his paw over his eyes — just like dad Tian Tian and big sister Bao Bao.
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Keepers described Mei Xiang as a devoted mother. She gave birth to twins Aug. 22, 2015, but as many giant pandas do, struggled to care for them both. Keepers swapped the cubs back and forth, but the smaller cub died four days later. Bei Bei, the surviving cub, was healthy. Here are mom and baby in September 2015.
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Mei Xiang briefly left the cub Sept. 8, 2015, letting vets check the little cub's weight. He tipped the scales at 1.3 pounds and let keepers snap some color images.
Smithsonian's National Zoo
The cub and his twin were born Aug. 22, but the other cub — the smaller of the two — died four days after birth. Keepers have said that Mei Xiang is a devoted mother.
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Vets said that newborn Bei Bei appeared healthy and was developing normally more than a week after his birth. He was still mostly hairless in late August 2015, but he was beginning to get his black-and-white markings.
Bei Bei celebrated his fourth birthday with a special cake and birthday party in August — but that will be his last in D.C.
But it will certainly not be the last time he's celebrated by Washingtonians. From Nov. 11-18, expect a week of "Bye Bye, Bei Bei" celebrations. Bei Bei will take over the panda came for the week, there will be keeper Q&A sessions and farewell crafts.
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Panda keepers are already working on preparing Bei Bei for his long journey, including by acclimating him to his travel crate. At first, keepers will encourage him to move through it every day.
Eventually, he'll hang out in there with the door closed — and treats to sweeten the deal.
When FedEx ships Bei Bei next month on a nonstop flight from D.C. to Chengdu, China, a panda keeper and a veterinarian will accompany him. And of course, he'll get more of his favorite treats, including sweet potatoes, apples, pears, carrots, biscuits and bamboo.
The keeper will stay with Bei Bei at one of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda centers for a few days.
What's in store for Bei Bei's future? When he reaches sexual maturity, between 5 and 7 years old, he'll enter into the panda breeding program.
“Our giant pandas represent much of what the Smithsonian does best, from conservation to education,” Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian, said in a statement. “As we say goodbye to our beloved Bei Bei, our conservation scientists will continue to work in collaboration to prevent these animals from disappearing, giving them the opportunity to thrive in the wild, inspiring and teaching generations to come.”
Any cubs born to Mei Xiang and Tian Tian belong to China and must be sent back at age 4 to be part of the breeding program there, according to the zoo’s arrangement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
Bei Bei’s older sister, Bao Bao, moved to China in 2017.
Zookeepers waited for a few months after Bei Bei's birthday because it's better for pandas to travel in winter and spring when it's cooler outside.
