WASHINGTON: In the past four and a half years, the first thing Elise Ney does in the morning is to turn on the webcam that continues to broadcast panda Tai Shan's life live since he was born in the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC.

Giant Panda bear Tai Shan, 4, is pictured in his enclosure at the National Zoo in Washington, December 4, 2009. Under an agreement with China's government Tai Shan, the first surviving Giant Panda cub born at the zoo in 2005, will relocate permanently to Sichuan, China in early 2010 to begin his participation in a breeding program.  [Photo/Agencies]

But in a week, she cannot see the lovely bear anymore.

Her Butterstick ((When Tai Shan was born, like all giant panda cubs, he was about the size of a stick of butter. This earned him the affectionate nickname "Butterstick."), will leave for China on February 4 to be part of the breeding program that will help sustain giant panda population in the wild, according to the zoo.

"Looking at Tai (the name she calls the panda) is the very first thing I do in the morning even before coffee," the businesswoman told China Daily at the Fijifilm Giant Panda Habitat inside the zoo on Thursday afternoon.

Ney is one of over 2,300 panda lovers, or Pandarazzi, who track the life of Tai Shan and set up a photo-sharing club Panda Unlimited on Flicker.

The Washingtonian used to see the panda once a week and she has come to the habitat more often recently to spend more time with him before his departure.

But what the group really wants to do is to set up a webcam for Tai Shan from his home in China.

"We have raised over $50,000 for pandas in the past years and we are willing to fund the webcam project in China," she said.

"We cannot imagine life without him."

Maureen, a visitor who did not give her last name, said: "I am pretty sad. It's like your child going to college."

Another panda fan Sue Labott flied from Chicago to the city to say Goodbye to Tai Shan. She keeps seeing the creature via the webcam has been to the zoo five times.

"I really hope Chinese panda keepers can continue to update Tai Shan's life online, because he is such a special bear," she said.

The zoo has seen growing number of visitors to the Panda Pavilion recently, many of whom have been watching Tai Shan since he was born on July 9, 2005.

He was the first surviving giant panda cub born at the Smithsonian National Zoo and it has become the most popular animal there, attracting thousands of visitors every year and millions of fans worldwide via the webcam. It is also something of a mascot to Washingtonians, as he is featured on the smart cards used to access the city's subways.

Because of his huge popularity, China has agreed to extend the loan to the zoo twice until end of January. Under the agreement, giant panda cubs born at the zoo belong to China and are to be sent to the Wolong Base in Sichuan province after the cub turns two.

"Tai Shan is a great bond between American and Chinese people, a symbol of friendship," Karin Korpowski-Gallo, public affairs officer of the zoo, told China Daily.

To all panda fans' delight, Tai Shan's parents Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are trying to get another baby panda at the zoo. The pair is expected to leave the country in December this year.

On Saturday, a public farewell celebration for Tai Shan will be held at the zoo, featuring a variety of wonderful panda activities and giveaways.

Ready to go

Thanks to weeks of special training, the four-and-a-half-year old panda is ready to go home.

"Tai Shan is now a teenage creature and he is pretty smart and adaptable," Don Moore, associate director of Animal Care and zoo-based wildlife biologist, told the reporters on Thursday.

"He can do very well moving from place A to B. And our Chinese colleagues are extremely professional and we can trust each other (to help Tai Shan adjust to the new environment)."

Since Tai Shan was born, the zoo has been preparing for his departure, said Nicole Meese, one of the panda’s keepers.

“We let him expose to different noises, smells and people, so he gets a lot of experience,” she said. “He is a confident and layback boy and he will have a smooth transition.”

Taking care of Tai Shan for so many years, Meese has shed many tears for his leaving.

“But I am also happy that he is going to have a new chapter in life and play a bigger role in the global panda breeding program.”

To tackle the language barrier with the Chinese panda keepers, Meese has created some universal hand signals and taken photos of them.

On Feb 4 morning, Tai Shan and Mei Lan, a three-year-old female panda born at Zoo Atlanta, will travel onboard a custom-decaled FedEx Express 777 Freight—known as the “FedEx Panda Express” from Washington’s Dulles International Airport to Chengdu, Sichuan province in China.

Fifty pounds of golden bamboo, Tai Shan’s favorite, some apple and pear will be provided onboard, Meese told China Daily.

The two pandas will take about 14.5 hours flight in two custom-built transport containers and arrive in Chengdu late afternoon on Feb 5. Then they will go through a 30-day quarantines.

Meese and veterinarian Nancy Boedeker will travel with Tai Shan on the flight and stay until Feb 8 in China.

Besides the National Zoo, giant pandas also live in three other US zoos in San Diego, Atlanta and Memphis. A total of 14 pandas in US are on loan from China.

Besides the National Zoo, giant pandas also live in three other US zoos in San Diego, Atlanta and Memphis. A total of 14 pandas in US are on loan from China