Early this morning, the three pandas at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo were coaxed into large metal crates, then taken by forklift up the zoo’s main walkway toward three waiting FedEx trucks, past a gaggle of dozens of members of the media from around the world.

Giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji have begun their journey from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo to Chengdu, China.

The animals are among the District’s cutest, furriest, and most famous residents.

“They are an iconic animal for the zoo, for the District of Columbia and for our country as well,” said Brandie Smith, the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the National Zoo’s Conservation Biology Institute, speaking to reporters as the pandas were readied for the journey this morning. “There are billions of people who have admired, celebrated, loved our giant pandas, and have participated in their conservation.”

There was no teary, public goodbye for the beloved animals, however— the pandas left the zoo under a veil of secrecy. The zoo did not publicly announce the exact date of the pandas’ departure until it was already underway this morning. Late yesterday, zoo officials announced that zoo grounds would be opening two hours late today, at 10am, but did not say why. This was for the safety of the animals and staff, according to zoo officials.

It’s unclear if the zoo will be able to get another pair of pandas from China. The cute creatures have been a fixture in D.C. for the past half-century, ever since Beijing sent the first pair here as a diplomatic gesture during the Cold War. Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, the zoo’s first panda couple, arrived following Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China in 1972.

Ling-Ling died in 1992 at age 23, while Hsing-Hsing lived until the ripe old age of 28, dying in 1999. Tian Tian and Mei Xiang arrived in the District in 2000 on a 10-year loan, at a cost of $1 million per year. Since then, the loan agreement was extended three times. The pair had several cubs, including Xiao Qi Ji, who was a pandemic baby born in August 2020.

At about 7 a.m. Wednesday, zoo staff began carting bamboo past reporters. A total of 220 lbs. of bamboo will go with pandas — their in-flight meal for the trip. Staff also carried boxes of apples, pears, and other panda treats.

Then, just after 8 a.m., a forklift trundled by, carrying Mei Xiang, the 25-year-old female bear, in a large metal crate.

“Everyone keeps asking me how I feel,” Smith said, choking up a bit. “It’s been a hard week and it’s been a hard morning.”

But she also said it was a moment of joy. “This is one more step in 50 years of a successful giant panda conservation program and hopefully the beginning of 50 more years of successful giant panda conservation. Please know that the future is bright for giant pandas. We remain committed to our program and we look forward to celebrating with all of you when pandas can return to D.C.”

The pandas were loaded into three FedEx box trucks emblazoned with panda images. From the zoo, they were driven to Dulles International Airport under police escort, then loaded onto a Boeing 777 freight plane, for a departure scheduled for early this afternoon.

Xu Xueyuan, minister at the embassy of the People’s Republic of China in D.C., also spoke to the press. But she did not offer many clues as to whether pandas will return to Washington any time soon.

“Giant pandas belong to China,” Xu said. “Giant pandas also belong to the world. China will continue to work closely with cooperation partners, including the United States, on the conservation and the research of endangered species and the biodiversity protection.”

Generations of D.C.-area kids have grown up obsessed with pandas. On a recent morning before the animals’ departure, a third-grade class from a nearby D.C. public school was observing and drawing the pandas at the zoo during a field trip.

“I wish they could stay longer,” said third-grader William Mazzetti.

“I’m kind of sad about it,” said Olivia Gauchat, another third grader. “But at the same time, I know that the pandas really do belong in China. I know that they do want to go back to China and to see their family.”

Indeed, the pandas may see members of their immediate family back in China: Tian Tian and Mei Xiang had three other cubs during their time at the National Zoo: Tai Shan, Bao Bao, and Bei Bei. All three were sent to China at age 4, per the loan agreement.

Shipping three large animals to the other side of the globe isn’t necessarily simple, but it is something zoo staffers know how to do.

“We do move animals all the time,” says senior curator Bryan Amaral. “It’s not necessarily international shipments on charter flights, but we do it all the time. So a lot of the big brushstrokes are kind of the same.”

Zoo staff have spent weeks crate-training the bears, getting them used to the large metal boxes they will be traveling in.

A small team of zoo staff are traveling with the pandas, to tend to the animals during the 19-hour flight, including two panda keepers and a veterinarian.

Don Neiffer, the zoo’s chief veterinarian, has made the trip before, traveling to China with Bei Bei.

“Bei Bei was pretty chill for the whole procedure,” Neiffer says. “He kind of went back and forth between eating and sleeping, which is what pandas do anyway.”

Zoo officials say they have been focused on the logistics of safely transporting Mei Xiang, Tian Tian, and Xiao Qi Ji. Now that the animals are leaving, zoo officials plan to start talks to secure a new pair of black-and-white bears. Betting on the success of those negotiations — or perhaps to bolster them — the zoo is proceeding with a plan to invest $2.5 million to overhaul the panda house, replacing the faux rock and water features, and adding new climbing structures.

This story was updated with new information as the pandas departed.