Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji are scheduled to be returned to China in early December
Washington’s National Zoo is honoring its three giant pandas with nine days of events ahead of their return to China but stormy weather and a looming US government shutdown have put something of a damper on the festivities.
The weather forced the zoo to cancel some outdoor events over the weekend, but it did not deter some heartier visitors from around the United States from flocking to the panda enclosure for one last glimpse at the threesome. Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji are scheduled to be returned in early December.
The festivities could end a day sooner than planned, however, if Congress fails to provide funding for the fiscal year starting October 1 due to an ongoing dispute between far-right Republicans and other lawmakers. Mei Xiang, 25, and Tian Tian, 26, came to the zoo in 2000 under a cooperative research and breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. The pandas were initially meant to stay 10 years, but the agreement has been renewed three times since 2010.