panda express

found via lilly pulitzer blog

FedEx Express is donating their services to transport two of America’s Giant Pandas back to China today. Per a contract with China regarding the loaning of their parents to the zoos these two must be returned to live in China and help further grow the panda population.

Mei Lan a 3 year-old female born in Atlanta and Tai Shan a 4 and a half year-old male born at the Smithsonian Zoo in Washington, DC will be flying in style today as they set off on a fourteen and a half hour flight from DC to Chengdu, China. (On a custom-decaled plane no less!)

Mei Lan

Tai Shan as a baby! So cute!

The pandas will be transported to the airplane by FedEx trucks in specially designed travel containers. They will also have caretakers making the journey alongside them. Once in China Mei Lan will be going to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Pandas Breeding and Tai Shan will be headed for the China Wildlife Conservation Association’s Nature Reserve in Sichuan.

We wish them both safe travels and a happy new life in China. They will be missed dearly!!