FAREWELL TREAT: Tai Shan eats a three-tiered bamboo-and-beet cake at a farewell party at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., where the panda bear was born (ZHANG JUN)

More than 150 visitors braved heavy snow in Washington, D.C. for a final opportunity to see Tai Shan, the first surviving giant panda cub born at the National Zoo, before it departed for its new home in China. Though the farewell party specially held for the snuggly animal on January 30, 2010, ended earlier than expected due to inclement weather, America's deep fondness for Tai Shan was felt throughout the city.

The fuzzy, beloved star resident of the U.S. capital left on February 4, taking a cargo jet sponsored by FedEx back to China for a breeding program for the endangered species. His fellow traveler on the flight was three-year-old female panda Mei Lan from the Atlanta Zoo in Georgia. The journey to China left Washington's Dulles International Airport and took 14.5 hours on its non-stop route.

The zoo, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution, announced Tai Shan's departure under an agreement with China's Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) in December, 2009. "The Chinese have granted extensions (twice) to the National Zoo that allowed Tai Shan to stay for an additional two-and-a-half years, but those extensions have expired," the zoo said in a media advisory.

But for Tai Shan's fans who witnessed his birth and growth from a tiny, pink and hairless infant to a 4.5-year-old teenage bear weighing almost 200 pounds, sadness at the coming farewell increased as Tai Shan's days in the United States dwindled.

"Everyone is sad that he is leaving us, but happy that he is so important to panda conservation," said National Zoo Senior Curator Brandie Smith during an online meeting with panda lovers. "Tai Shan's genes are most valuable in China. This is a global program to save the species and his best mate matches are there."

Mr. Popular

Children shouted his name outside his compound and Tai Shan, who was busy napping, was curled up in an elevated spot. He kept his belly close to the ground to fight the cold after finishing a three-tiered bamboo-and-beet cake.

"Don't worry, his fur skin is thick enough to protect him against the snow," a man who brought his family to the farewell celebration whispered to his little daughter. "Say goodbye to Tai Shan!" he reminded her gently.

Adoring fans from all over the country took pictures, recorded him on video and watched him silently along the railing to his enclosure at the Giant Panda Habitat in the snow. Crowds filled souvenir shops searching for panda-themed mugs, T-shirts, plush toys and post cards.

The playful cub, nicknamed Butterstick because he could fit into the palm of a person's hand, has been a delight to millions of visitors and those who have watched him grow through an online webcam since his public debut in December 2005.

"He will be missed by Washingtonians," wrote a blogger named Rachel who has been watching him on the webcam over the years. "We love our pandas."

Tai Shan's parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, were shipped to Washington from the CWCA on a 10-year loan in 2000. On July 9, 2005, Mei Xiang gave birth to a male cub that 200,000 people named Tai Shan through an online poll, which in Chinese means Taishan Mountian, one of the five sacred mountains in the country.

There has been a huge surge in attendance at the zoo ever since Tai Shan's public debut. In the first several months of his display, attendance jumped by as much as 50 percent over previous years. Officials estimated that Tai Shan has attracted more than 12,000 visitors to the zoo. The webcam, which broadcasts the cub's daily activities, has drawn an average of 1 million clicks every month.

He is still considered to be a part of the lives of his fans, despite the fact that Tai Shan has become an adult panda that has entered his breeding stage.

"He's so cute. I'll miss him," Claire Ryland, a 7-year-old from Maryland, told ABC News.

Conservation efforts

Several zookeepers were chosen to accompany the panda to his new habitat and stay with him for at least one week during his transition.

"It'll be a loss not to have him in the building," said keeper Nicole Meese. She said that Tai Shan is needed to fulfill his role in a breeding program to save the endangered species.

Giant pandas are rare both in the wild and in captivity. China's most recent national giant panda survey reported that about 1,600 pandas survive in the wild today and are scattered around the rugged hills in the interior of China, mostly in Sichuan Province, but also in Gansu and Shaanxi provinces.

In the early to mid-20th century, habitat destruction left only a few isolated populations in the Qinling Mountains mainly in Shaanxi, as well as Sichuan and Gansu. These groups have become increasingly more fragmented, upping the chances of genetic inbreeding. To help preserve the unique species, the World Wildlife Fund and the Shaanxi Provincial Government have worked to create new natural reserves that allow pandas to move freely to help reunite isolated populations.

Zhang Liang, the Chinese Embassy's Minister-Councilor for Congressional Affairs, said the pandas would be moved to their new home as part of a conservation and breeding program.

Smith said the point of breeding giant pandas at zoos is to save the endangered animals. Panda reproduction has been difficult in captivity because females are notoriously picky when it comes to finding a mate. "The breeding window for pandas is tiny—once a year for only about 2 days, which explains their vulnerability," said Smith.

Scientists have been encouraged by recent gains. The San Diego Zoo sent two cubs back to China for breeding, one of which gave birth to seven cubs.

The Chinese have treasured giant pandas, the country's national symbol, for about 2,000 years.

"The Chinese have a very successful panda program," said Smith. "Since we partnered with them 10 years ago, the Chinese have had tremendous success caring for and breeding pandas, and they are close to reaching the very significant goal of having 300 pandas in captivity."

HARD TO SAY GOODBYE: On February 4, one of Tai Shan's zookeepers (left) says farewell to the panda bear just before it is aboard on a plane to China (ZHANG JUN)

(Reporting from Washington, D.C.)