A government shutdown could cut short the National Zoo's panda goodbye celebrations

Male giant panda Xiao Qi Ji rolls around in his enclosure during a "Panda Palooza" event at the Smithsonian National Zoo on Saturday, in Washington, D.C. We're guessing he hasn't heard about the looming government shutdown. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

A government shutdown could suck the life out of the party for some of Washington, D.C.'s most popular residents: the pandas.

The National Zoo is holding a series of panda-themed events to commemorate the departure of its only three pandas: elderly pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their 3-year-old son Xiao Qi Ji are heading back to China. The nine-day farewell bash is just getting started. But Washington succumbing to a shutdown would cut the celebrations short a day early.