National Zoo's giant pandas to stay in the U.S. for 3 more years

The giant pandas at the Smithsonian's National Zoo can leave their passports tucked away for three more years.

The United States and China's panda loan agreement was set to expire on Monday, but the zoo reached a deal with the China Wildlife and Conservation Association so Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and their cub, Xiao Qi Ji, can stay in Washington, D.C., until Dec. 7, 2023.

Mei Xiang, a 22-year-old female, and Tian Tian, a 23-year-old male, have been at the zoo for two decades. Xiao Qi Ji, their fourth surviving cub, was born on Aug. 21. As part of the panda diplomacy project, the zoo has been hosting giant pandas from China since 1972.

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In addition to the roughly 600 giant pandas in zoos and breeding centers worldwide, experts believe there are only about 1,800 pandas left in the wild in China. Steve Monfort, director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, said in a statement that he is looking forward to spending the next three years "watching Xiao Qi Ji grow and making further strides in conservation and in our understanding of giant pandas."