On Feb. 4, the first panda cub born at the National Zoo to survive, Tai Shan, will set off for his new home at the China Conservation and Research Center’s Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China.

Tai Shan and a 3-year-old panda born at Zoo Atlanta will be flown to China on a custom-designed FedEx Express 777 Freighter. FedEx has named the plane the “FedEx Panda Express.”

Tai Shan was born at the zoo in 2005 and was originally set to remain in the United States for two years after birth. Tai Shan was granted a two-year extension to reside in Washington, however, according to Melissa Songer, a zoologist and manager at the Conservation GIS Lab, a part of the Smithsonian’s national zoological park that studies species loss and extinction. Tai Shan’s parents will remain at the zoo through December 2011 as part of an agreement between the Chinese government and the zoo. China loans pairs of pandas to U.S. zoos for conservation and reproductive research. Pandas like Tai Shan that are born to these pairs become property of China upon birth and eventually must be sent to China to enter a breeding program.

On Saturday, the National Zoo hosted Tai Shan’s Farewell Celebration in cold, snowy weather conditions to celebrate the panda’s time in D.C. Focusing on panda conservation in the zoo’s Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat, the celebration set up many booths showcasing panda-related information and the opportunity to mingle with researchers and workers dedicated to the cause of panda preservation.

embers of the Chinese Embassy provided visitors with Chinese-American flag pins, books and materials related to China and Chinese culture. Many traditional Chinese cultural dances also were performed in the main pavilion outside of the Panda Habitat. Groups such as the Hung Tao Choy Mei Leadership Institute displayed their talents in kung fu and drumming. The Chinese drummers in decorative costumes were accented by other entertainers dressed in full bodysuit panda costumes.

Zoo patrons Amy Carroll and her 12-year-old daughter Mikaela came especially for the day’s events.

“I’m especially impressed that all of the young dancers are able to do their routines even in the snow and weather like this,” Carroll said.

“I wanted to come see the panda just because it’s the last time he’s going to be here,” Mikaela added.

At the far end of the pavilion, FedEx set up a table at which visitors could write and draw farewell cards to Tai Shan that were set to be mailed overseas with the pandas to China.

“His birth and subsequent four years of life here were a huge zoo first, an accomplishment and joy for us all. There will certainly be a void at the zoo with him gone, but we knew this day would arrive per the agreement with the Chinese,” the National Zoo Web site said.”