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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Sam Levine in New York

Two giant pandas begin return to China from Smithsonian’s National zoo

China Mei Xiang Tian Tian United States Xiao Qi Ji Smithsonian National Zoo The New York Times
two pandas in the snow
Mei Xiang and Tian Tian. Their departure means the Atlanta zoo will be the only zoo in the US with giant pandas. Photograph: Ann Batdorf/Smithsonian's National Zoo/AFP/Getty Images

The two giant pandas at the Smithsonian’s National zoo officially began their return to China on Wednesday.

The two panda bears, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, had been in the United States on loan from China for more than two decades as part of a research agreement set to expire early next month. Their cub, three-year-old Xiao Qi Ji, is also going.

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