Uncategorized

Tai Shan’s Extradition To China Imminent–D.C. To Lose A Panda

By Michael Scherer | @michaelscherer | December 4, 2009 | +

File under Super-Fauna Drama:

Tai Shan, aka “Butterstick,” for those who do not live in the Washington D.C. area, is a cute panda bear. Really cute. (See pictures here.) Born about four years ago at the National Zoo, he is the property of the People’s Republic of China. And  Panda diplomacy, it seems, has its limits. The zoo explains:

The Chinese have granted extensions to the National Zoo that allowed Tai Shan to stay past his second birthday, but those extensions will soon expire. . . .  Tai Shan will be trained to enter and calmly remain in a specially designed crate for his flight to China. Logistics and details for his safe transport are being finalized. It is expected that Tai Shan will enter the breeding program in China, where he will contribute to species conservation.

Tai Shan’s parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, will not be traveling on the same crate.

Mei Xiang and Tian Tian also belong to China and are on a ten-year loan as part of a research, conservation and breeding program. This agreement expires in December 2010. National Zoo and Chinese officials will not begin negotiations about their future until spring 2010.

In case you were wondering, there are something in the neighborhood of 1,600 giant pandas still living in the wild.

Related Topics: super-fauna drama, Uncategorized

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  • http://theblindspotsofgod.wordpress.com lawyermommy

    Hmmm… wow? I do not know what to make of this Panda news. I guess it is an appropriate end to a week of charged news.

    Thanks for the “Feel Good” post although it would have been more relaxing to have some emm “News” about “Tiger in the woods”<–pun intended, Golf clubs, broken glass etc. :)

    LM

    http://chiefadvocate1.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/if-you-are-criminalized-stalked-abused-tracked-and-harassed-by-criminals-using-technology-the-law-is-on-your-side/

  • FlownOver

    I suppose the National Zoo will have to pay support too. Does Butterstick get to come back for Christmas and part of summer vacation?

  • deconstructiva

    To compensate for the loss, will China ship stuffed panda toys with lead-tainted finishes to Walmart?

  • destor23

    Michael Scherer tried to get an interview with Tai Shan but the zookeepers said no, it’s a real bear it will literally eat your face off.

  • deconstructiva

    Is this an extradition or a swap for the Dalai Llama?

  • Mike Licht

    China is having the DC panda snatched by the Repo Man.

    See:

    http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/12/04/creditor-repossesses-dc-panda/

  • http://triphow.com/?p=1352 triphow.com » Sunday Travel Times – Vdara Blooms, Rollingstone LA…

    [...] Tai Shan, National Zoo’s Panda, about to be ‘extradited’ to China – Time blog [...]

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