Panda Bei Bei lands safely in China
WASHINGTON - D.C.'s treasured giant panda, Bei Bei, arrived safely in China Wednesday after setting off from the only home he's ever known in the nation's capital.
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The 4-year-old panda departed the Smithsonian's National Zoo around noon Tuesday inside his custom-built transport container.
He was accompanied by Zoo staff as he headed to Dulles International Airport and boarded a FedEx plane named the Panda Express.
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Bei Bei
Bei Bei, a keeper and a veterinarian from the Zoo traveled to the Bifengxia Panda Base -- his new home -- in Chengdu, China on a 16-hour non-stop flight.
He'll remain in quarantine for 30 days before ending up in the giant panda breeding program when he reaches between six and seven years old.
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