Even as plenty of the National Zoo's other animals are efficiently producing adorable offspring, its giant pandas have generated little more than deflated hopes for another Butterstick. One philanthropist is hoping his investment will change that. more ›

Last Monday, one of our readers made us all insanely jealous by getting the chance to visit Wolong's Bifengxia Base in Ya'an, Sichuan and catch up with our old friend Butterstick. But we did notice was that Tai Shan had, uh, put on a couple of pounds. more ›

Is it kind of insane to spend $5,000 for a trip to China in order to gather "clumps of fibrous, multicolored panda poop" produced by Tai Shan? Sure it is. But it looks like the Post's attempt at reminding us that people still care about the big fuzzy thing that used to roam the corridors of the National Zoo's panda habitat has brought out a small, yet very vocal minority of Washington's panda haters. more ›

Our beloved Butterstick was released from his 30-day quarantine at Wolong's Bifengxia Base in Ya'an, Sichuan earlier today. Tai is reportedly getting along well with his keepers (we're so proud!) and was allowed to roam around his new enclosure at the base for the first time. more ›

Our beloved Butterstick has only been in China for a few hours, and they've already pimped him out as a corporate spokesperson. The Washington Post reports that Sichuan Auto Industry Group, a Chinese automaker, will fork over $150,000 to "adopt" Tai Shan for life. more ›

Butterstick, aka Tai Shan, has arrived at his new home at Wolong's Bifengxia Base in Ya'an, Sichuan, according to a news release from the National Zoo. more ›

Say what you will about obsessive panda fans becoming overly emotional about Tai Shan leaving D.C. this morning for China, but there's one group of people who have every right to cry: the National Zoo's panda team. more ›

If you've been putting it off, wait no longer. Sneak out of the office right now and get on up to the Smithsonian's National Zoo, because Tai Shan is leaving in the morning. Animal exhibits are typically only open until 4:30 p.m. in the winter months, so time is fleeting. more ›

We are human. There are so many different ways in which we react to the unhappy occurrences we experience throughout life. Washingtonians had the chance to emit such varying emotions publicly at the goodbye party for the National Zoo's youngest giant panda on Saturday. Sure, Tai Shan will be here until Thursday, but people from all over the world -- including chatty visitors from Massachusetts, Canada, and China -- came to the Zoo to just get a peek of our pal Butterstick. more ›

Butterstick may be leaving us in less than a week, but at least he'll be doing it in style. more ›

We already knew the date for Butterstick's going away party, but now it looks like we at last have the final date when he'll permanently depart for dread Red China. The Associated Press is quoting Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough as saying Tai Shan will leave D.C.'s National Zoo on Feb. 4. more ›

The National Zoo has at last released more details on the planned "Tai Shan Farewell Celebration" it started hyping a couple weeks ago, and they're pretty fantastic. Chief among them: a planned "Land O'Lakes® Butterstick Tribute," surely the greatest promotional tie-in ever conceived. According to a zoo release, the Land O'Lakes tribute will "showcase photos of Tai Shan since his birth in 2005." Dig it. more ›

Woe is us! News that the National Zoo has scheduled a farewell gathering for Tai Shan only means one thing: Butterstick is really leaving. And soon. more ›

The National Zoo had to temporarily shut down their December ZooLights events due to Saturday's snowstorm, but tonight they're resuming their regular schedule. This is the last night you can stop by before Christmas; remaining nights run December 26 through January 2, except December 31. Wander the park to see their displays of environmentally-friendly LED lights -- Pepco representatives are also on hand to talk about energy-saving techniques to use in your home. Then visit Butterstick to say your last goodbyes; the ape, reptile, and small mammal houses are also open, as well as the Kid's Farm (which we're pretty sure is for kids, not of them). Bring canned goods to the Panda or Great Cats shops to benefit the Marshall Heights Community Development Organization. Be sure to get some freshly made kettle corn while you're there ... mmm....kettle corn. We're still not sure how we feel about the giant animal snow globe feature, so maybe skip that and head straight to the "dancing tree" performances at the Elephant Trial and the Bat Cave. more ›

We've long been fans of The Daily Show's Resident Expert John "Mr. PC" Hodgman, but last night he may have put himself over the top to become our favorite personality on the show. During a discussion with Jon Stewart over how best to approach solving the United States' debt crisis with China, Hodgman noted that the one thing we have that China really seems to want is our very own Butterstick. Couldn't we use the furball for a little leverage? We'd certainly argue that Tai Shan (or as Hodgman calls him, "the panda") is worth somewhere around $800 billion TO OUR HEARTS. more ›

Tai Shan, the National Zoo's main attraction for the last four years and its only surviving giant panda cub, will be taken to China sometime in early 2010, Zoo officials said today. News that the Zoo's lease on the young panda would not be renewed first broke early this morning. more ›

We knew this day was probably coming, but somehow we still weren't prepared. Tai Shan, the National Zoo's only surviving giant panda cub, the pride and joy of Washington, the one and only Butterstick, is being snatched away from us. Zoo officials have scheduled a 10 a.m. press conference this morning to announce that our favorite furball will soon be sent to the People’s Republic of China, per the agreement between the Zoo and the Chinese government. more ›

The National Zoo once again rolled out the fanfare for superstar giant panda Tai Shan this morning, as D.C.'s favorite ball of fur (and stick of butter) turned 4. Now a teenager in "bear years," the panda dug into a three-tiered, frozen "cake" made out of water, beet juice, bamboo and fruit that was prepared by Zoo staff. Crowds of onlookers were on hand early this morning to watch the panda dig in to his treat and wish him a happy birthday. more ›

Man, the Washington Post really knows how to twist the knife while the wound is still fresh. Just a day after we all learned that the National Zoo's female adult panda, Mei Xiang, wasn't pregnant after all, Postie Michael E. Ruane files a story reminding us that Tai Shan, our beloved stick o' butter who's now all grown up, will eventually be sent back to China. Oh, and that day could come sooner than you think. Thanks, man. You also had something to tell us about Santa Claus, right? more ›

Yesterday, NBCWashington.com got exclusive access into the operating room during Butterstick's colonoscopy -- and there's good news: the big guy's got a completely clean bill of health. more ›

Nbcwashington.com alerts us to the fact that Tai Shan, D.C.'s favorite panda son, has to get a colonoscopy today at the National Zoo. Apparently the 'stick has a little case of colitis, which must be horribly embarrassing for him when it acts up while he's entertaining his many fans. Any DCist readers with colonoscopy experience care to offer some pearls of wisdom to the furball? All we can think is to suggest relaxing, lying back and thinking of England, but that doesn't seem quite right. more ›

Flickr user RoxandaBear recently uploaded this insanely cute video of Tai Shan eating an apple to our DCist Videos group. We couldn't ever get enough Butterstick, but we also can't help but notice that the Videos group is a little lacking in the non-adorable animal department. Our Flickr Photo group has become its own vibrant online community, and we'd love to see that same kind of participation in our Videos group. So let this be a reminder to you that you can submit video content to DCist either through our Flickr group or by tagging your YouTube videos with "dcist". We look forward to seeing what you're seeing out there! more ›

The fickle nature of the giant panda's reproductive system has foiled us once again. The National Zoo gave up the ghost this morning and announced that Mei Xiang's latest maybe-pregnancy won't result in an adorable panda cub for us to hug and squeeze and love forever. more ›

It was three years ago today that the National Zoo welcomed Tai Shan into the world. We fell in love immediately with the little fella, whom we named after the first press release deemed him the "size of a stick of butter." The Zoo later officially gave him a different name (despite our best efforts otherwise). more ›

The Associated Press has a shameful story this morning accusing the National Zoo's beloved panda cub, Tai Shan (aka Butterstick), of injuring a zookeeper. Pandas don't do anything wrong, AP! They are only adorable and cuddly and lovable and that's all. Didn't you get the memo? more ›

Good morning, Washington. Think good thoughts for Tian Tian, the National Zoo's male giant panda and the biological father of Tai Shan/Butterstick. Tian Tian underwent eye surgery yesterday to remove inflamed tissue from one of his third eyelids. He's expected to make a full recovery, but in the meantime he'll have to live with the shame of being the one to expose this whole pandas having third eyelids monstrosity. DCist has always held a firm editorial stand that pandas are adorable, but after learning this fact we may have to convene our board to reconsider. more ›

Good morning, Washington. Can you feel the excitement in the air? That's right: it's Taxi Decision Day. Will District residents get a shiny new meter system, or have to make our peace with zones for the foreseeable future? Or will we be treated to a metered zone hybrid/abomination? It'll be just a few hours until we find out. Immigration Measures Elicit Passion, Lawsuits: The Post reports on the scene in Prince William County, where... more ›

When the District's resident panda cub was born two years ago, zoo officials inadvertently compared the tiny, hairless creature to a stick of butter. Since then, Tai Shan has always been Butterstick to those who love him the most. more ›

A begrudging Mazel Tov from DCist to the city of San Diego is in order, as the Associated Press reports that Bai Yun, the San Diego Zoo's female panda, is definitely pregnant. Bai Yun has been put on "24-hour birth watch" after officials detected a fetus and fetal heartbeat through ultrasound images on July 18. More tests confirmed the pregnancy and the zoo made an official announcement yesterday. As you'll no doubt recall, Mei Xiang,... more ›