Tai Shan: Giant Panda Heads Home to China

Keep it real, Butterstick!

America's most famous giant panda is headed home. Tai Shan, better known as "Butterstick" to his many adoring fans, is set to leave on a jet plane today back home to China after spending his first 3 1/2 years in Washington D.C.

Born at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park (National Zoo) in Washington, D.C in 2005, Tai Shan was the first giant panda to survive more than a few days after birth at our nation's top zoo.

At first it didn't look like Tai Shan (which means "Peaceful Mountain") would make it. He was born very small, prompting one zoo worker to descirbe him as small as a stick of butter. This name, "Butterstick," caught on and has served as his nickname ever since.

But now, at 3 1/2, he is ready to head home to China. No matter where they are born, by law all giant pandas are property of China. Butterstick will be sent to live at the China Conservation and Research Center's Wolong Nature Reserve in Sichuan, China, where he will be put into a breeding program as part of an effort to jumpstart the panda population.

There are about 200 giant pandas currently in captivity, and many conservationists believe there are only about 1,600 left in the wild.