- Title: Giant panda Bao Bao heads to new home in China
- Date: 21st February 2017
- Summary: DULLES, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 21, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) NATIONAL ZOO DIRECTOR DENNIS KELLY SAYING: "Bao Bao is a symbol of how zoos, universities, governments, great corporations like FedEx are working to save species from extinction. They represent something very special for our team. Bao Bao is the only second surviving cub born in the Nationa
- Embargoed: 7th March 2017 19:19
- Keywords: Panda Bao Bao FedEx Dulles China National Zoo
- Location: DULLES, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES
- City: DULLES, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Environment,Nature/Wildlife
- Reuters ID: LVA00264GT8HZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Bao Bao, the 3-year-old giant panda who rose to fame while growing up on live video at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, flew to her new home in China on Tuesday (February 21) under a long-standing breeding and research program.
Bao Bao was loaded, inside her special crate, onto a Boeing 777F aircraft at the Dulles International Airport in Virginia for Chengdu, China. Accompanying her were her handlers as well as 55 pounds of bamboo and several more pounds of biscuits, sweet potatoes and sugarcane.
The freighter, customized with an image of a giant panda emblazoned on its side, took off just before 2 p.m. E.T (1900gmt).
Bao Bao was born at the zoo on Aug. 23, 2013 to mother Mei Xiang and father Tian Tian, who were loaned to the zoo as part of an agreement with the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association.
"Bao Bao is a symbol of how zoos, universities, governments, great corporations like FedEx are working to save species from extinction," zoo director Dennis Kelly said. "It's very bittersweet for us at the National Zoo to see her go, but it's my hope, my dream that Bao Bao's offspring, her descendants will be once reintroduced back into the wild of China."
Under the deal, all cubs born at the National Zoo must move to China by the time they reach 4 years old for breeding and research.
The National Zoo received its first pair of giant pandas in 1972 as a gift from the Chinese government to commemorate President Richard Nixon's landmark visit to China. That pair, female Ling-Ling and male Hsing-Hsing, lived at the zoo for more than 20 years, but produced no surviving cubs.
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian produced their first surviving cub on July 9, 2005, named Tai Shan, who left for China's Wolong Nature Reserve some four years later.
Bao Bao drew an international audience as the star of the zoo "panda cam," which documented her birth and childhood for millions of fans worldwide.
Admirers have included former first lady Michelle Obama, who sent a message to the giant panda cub on the day she was born.
In the week leading up to her departure, fans were allowed to observe Bao Bao as she was plied with her favorite treats, including ice cakes made of frozen fruit juices and vegetables. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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