Youngest National Zoo Panda, Xiao Qi Ji, Celebrates 3rd Birthday Ahead of Return to China

The Smithsonian National Zoo celebrated its second panda birthday of the year on Aug. 21. The son of history-making panda Mei Xiang, Xiao Qi Ji, celebrated his 3rd birthday with "Young, Wild and 3" themed treats on Monday. 

According to NBC News4 Washington, Xiao Qi Ji is known as the youngest giant panda at the National Zoo. Animal care staff carried on the tradition of celebrating with a "fruitsicle cake” made with panda-friendly apple and pineapple juice, mashed sweet potatoes, carrots, honey, and leafy bamboo sprigs.

The Smithsonian National Zoo shared video footage of the celebration on Facebook asking social media users to join them in wishing their “Little Miracle" a happy birthday.

While a joyous occasion, the birthday comes alongside sad news. 

Xiao Qi Ji is expected to return to China with his parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, by December. While he was born in the National Zoo, Xiao Qi Ji’s parents moved to the Smithsonian from China on Dec. 6, 2000, as part of an agreement with the China Wildlife and Conservation Association.

"As per our agreement with our Chinese colleagues, [the pandas] are to go back to China by the end of the year," Bryan Amaral, senior curator at the National Zoo, told News4. "So, we're just fulfilling that obligation.”

There has been no indication that Zoo’s Giant Panda Cooperative Research and Breeding Agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association will be extended, or that more pandas will arrive.

According to News4, tourists from across the country and state visited the zoo to celebrate Xiao Qi Ji’s last birthday at the Smithsonian.

"I'm very sad; I will miss him very much," said Rachel Weidner, a tourist who came from Philadelphia.

While many consider Xiao Qi Ji a baby, Amaral said that in panda years, he is a “college kid" and ready to take on his new journey.

"He's way old enough to handle all this kind of stuff on his own. He's, actually, our largest cub at his age that we've had at this point. So he's more than ready to tackle the world on his own now," Amaral told News4, addressing concerns about the panda navigating a new space.

Although "heartbroken," Zoo Director Brandie Smith told News4 that he is “optimistic” that pandas will return to the zoo. 

"No matter what happens, we are going to continue our giant panda conservation work, the stuff that we are doing, you know, in the field to save pandas, to save the species and our hopes," Smith said. "My dream is that giant pandas will return to the National Zoo sometime in the near future.”

While the last for Xiao Qi Ji, this birthday is not the last panda celebration scheduled for the year. Xiao Qi Ji’s dad, Tian Tian, will celebrate his 26th birthday on Aug. 27.