DC Pandas Return to China Earlier Than Expected: The Art of Panda Diplomacy

The National Zoo's giant panda couple, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, struggled to mate naturally for almost two decades, resulting in the need for artificial insemination to produce their four surviving cubs. Despite various attempts to improve their mating success, including low lights, exercise programs, and even the consideration of showing them "panda porn," the pandas never quite clicked. The zoo experts still wonder why the adults never mastered the basics of mating. With the departure of the remaining pandas from the National Zoo, the era of giant pandas in Washington, D.C. is coming to an end.