Smithsonian National Zoo Snapshots #1: Giant Pandas

 I live about 6 miles away from the Smithsonian National Zoo.  Although I choose to drive every other weekend to Baltimore to volunteer at the Maryland Zoo, I have nothing against the National Zoo.  (Well, other than its volunteer program sucks, and they don't really care about it.  Yet, let's not loose focus!)

I have taken advantage of my proximity to visit there once or twice every other year since I've lived here.  I figure it's about 15-18 visits since 1994.  I have watched it survive the 2005 Earthquake, the African American Picnic shooting events, Covid-19 closures; also, the renovation and expansion of the Elephant House Habitat, the renovation and expansion of the Farm and related events space, and the renovation of the Aviary.  None of this is garnering as much attention as the return without reciprocity of the Giant Pandas who call this place home to China.

The simple truth is that just like American Bald Eagles, Giant Pandas cannot be "owned" by anyone.  Like Bald Eagles are by statute the property of the American government and shared under the authority of the Department of the Interior to Zoos, Aviaries, and other institutions, Giant Pandas are the sole property of the Chinese government.  Most Americans don't know this.

China leases its Giant Panda ambassadors to zoos outside of China.  The annual rental fee that has nothing to do with the additional expenses exceeds $1,000,000,000.00.  At one time the fact that these adorable animals were Critically Endangered, and that zoos that invested in them were also invested in their survival (along with ticket sales) made the premise reasonable and affordable.  That is no longer the case.  

In North America there are 5 zoos with leases for Giant Pandas: Smithsonian National Zoo, ZooAtlanta, Memphis Zoo, San Diego Zoo, Toronto Zoo.  The only exception to this is the Mexico City Zoo who is home to Xin Xin, the inbred granddaughter of two pandas that were actually given to Mexico back in 1975.  Of the aforementioned 5: Memphis and San Diego have already returned their Giant Pandas for good.  After December of this year, only Atlanta will still have leased animals. The Giant Pandas Leased to the Toronto Zoo were moved to the Calgary Zoo in 2020 and will be returned to China at the end the year, as well.

There's a lot of hoopla around the Giant Panda's final days in DC.  It's not something I care to engage in, after all, I have seen them many times over the years.  Then a day presented itself.  An off peak visitor day wherein I had the opportunity to go one more time.  I took it.

Sleepy Giant Pandas in the interior rooms.  Usually I catch them all outside in on of their yards, but on this midweek morning, they were still sleepy-babies.  The visit reminded me why they are such magical creatures.