The National Zoo’s beloved giant panda Bei Bei has a busy week ahead of his departure from D.C. to China Tuesday.
In addition to taking part in his daily celebrations, Bei Bei must prepare for his 16-hour flight by getting used to the crate which he will be traveling in.
鈥淓very time he steps in the crate, we give him a treat; so he really starts to associate good stuff with the crate,鈥� said Marty Dearie, a giant panda keeper at the zoo. 鈥淎nd now we鈥檙e at the point where we鈥檙e shutting both doors with him in there, and he鈥檚 totally fine with it.鈥�
Laurie Thompson, the assistant curator of giant pandas for the zoo, will feed Bei Bei on the flight and keep him company. She will stay with him in China for a few days; and while she admits that she is sad at seeing him go, she doesn鈥檛 think he鈥檒l have any issues with the move.
鈥淥h, I think he鈥檒l do great,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 very, very well adapted. He鈥檚 a very independent little guy, and so I think he鈥檒l be fine.鈥�
Under an agreement with China, all panda cubs born at the National Zoo move to China once they turn 4 years old.
