Tai Shan
Now an adolescent giant Tai Shan was born on a July Saturday in 2005 at the National Zoo. The panda remained a love fest among two ideologically different nations. His departure will remind us of oddball bear with black ears, very mesmerizing looks and his appetite for pears.
Tai Shan was named Butterstick when he was born nearly hairless and quite small in 2005. From his birth to his departure Tai Shan has been a fascination for millions of people who visited the Nation Zoo in person or watch the creature through pandacams. He developed a fan club for himself and was the star of several merchandises like bumper stickers, videos, postage stamps, license plates and documentaries. Tai Shan’s importance was proven as he was declared Washington’s most important citizen by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty.
Although Tai Shan was born in National Zoo, he remained property of China according to the agreement that was made when his parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian were brought in America almost ten years from now. As giant panda is endangered specie, native to China, Tai Shan will join the breeding program to help in increasing the number of giant pandas.
Tai Shan started its journey when he was coaxed to a specially built truck to carry him to the airport to fly to his native lands.
At Dulles airport a specially painted panda jet was waiting for Tai Shan and it was scribed with, ”ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY PANDAS”
Tai Shan is the only giant panda that survived beyond his infancy in National Zoo and his departure left millions of his fans grieved.
His parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian also have to leave shortly as their ten year lease is going to end this December, however zoo officials said that they will ask China for an extension.
Shouldn’t both nations learn from Tai Shan that their stubborn stances on Global Warming will endanger some other specie on planet earth?
Tai Shan
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