Tai Shan the Panda is leaving...

[Walk away]

China legally owns him even though he was born in Washington. I watch him on his panda web cam every day. This is so sad:(

[11 Bravo]

1. And Lou Dobbs is thrilled. He wasn't sure whether or not Tai Shan was a Mexican, but by God ...

he knew that fuzzy little critter was a furriner!

[Bozita]

5. DUzy!

[BrklynLiberal]

10. LOL Good one!!

[Thickasabrick]

2. It's time to walk away - Walk away (Sorry - couldn't resist) I'm

sorry about him leaving too but he belongs back with other panda bears so that he might find some fetching other panda and mate to make more pandas. If he stayed here he would have ended up a lonely bachelor.

[Walk away]

4. I guess...but it's not like he'll be singing "Born Free". He's just going to another zoo.

Couldn't they have sent him a girlfriend?

[Thickasabrick]

7. See...I read he was going to a Panda reserve - he's just going to a zoo?

[Walk away]

11. That makes me feel a lot better. My local news didn't say...

Born free, as free as the wind blows
As free as the grass grows
Born free to follow your heart

Live free and beauty surrounds you
The world still astounds you
Each time you look at a star

Stay free, where no walls divide you
You're free as the roaring tide
So there's no need to hide

Born free, and life is worth living
But only worth living
'cause you're born free

(Stay free, where no walls divide you)
You're free as the roaring tide
So there's no need to hide

Born free, and life is worth living
But only worth living
'cause you're born free

[Thickasabrick]

13. Here ya go - there was a Q&A with his Washington Keeper on the

Washington Post website. This is the quote I was thinking about

"Brandie Smith: The biggest threat to giant pandas is habitat loss. Tai Shan will be part of a breeding program in a reserve in China. He will not be going back to the wild. Our hope is that his offspring may eventually contribute to the wild population of pandas in China. "

So even though it's not the wild, it will be a reserve with other pandas. Here is a link to the Q&A. I think you will feel better after reading it: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/12/04/ST2009120400058.html

[Walk away]

15. Thanks....I do! NT

[goldcanyonaz]

3. Oh no! I also watch the panda cams daily.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Jeez, Walk away. I was hoping they would let him stay! I also have loved him since he was so little

and got big enough to jump on his mom's back, biting her face, ears, neck, making her life crazy. You may remember her dragging him around indoors, until he got big enough to start driving her nuts.

He will be leaving so many people here who have watched him growing, and look in on him online.

Hope his future friends will love him as much as many of us do here. He is one fine Panda.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Two baby Tai Shan photos from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.:

http://www.jeffsweather.com.nyud.net:8090/archives/Simthsonian%20National%20Zoo%20Pandas-thumb.jpg

http://animal.discovery.com.nyud.net:8090/convergence/pandas/tai-shan/baby-panda-pictures/images/baby-panda-35.jpg

[goldcanyonaz]

9. How sweet. Thank you for posting these gems.

They're such majestic animals.

[GoCubsGo]

12. Good bye, Butterstick!***

Live long and prosper! Make lots of babies! Your species depends on it.

***Sorry, couldn't resist. I just can't forget how the media incessantly compared his size to a stick of butter when he was born.

[Walk away]

14. I loved when they called him Butterstick. Remember him so tiny! nt

[ShortnFiery]

16. Not unlike the Late George Carlin, "I have no emotional stake in Pandas."

:shrug: