Metro brief: Butterstick's stay at National Zoo extended by two years

Tai Shan, the panda commonly referred to as "Butterstick," will stay at the National Zoo for an additional two years under a new agreement between the Chinese government and the Smithsonian Institution-owned zoo, The Washington Post reported yesterday.

Tai Shan, like parents Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, is on loan from the Chinese government under a $10 million deal. Tai Shan was born at the zoo July 9, 2005, and was scheduled to go to a panda preserve in China for breeding purposes once he turned two this summer. Tian Tian and Mei Xiang arrived at the zoo in December 2000 and are on loan for 10 years, according to the Post.

Since being put on public display in December 2005, Tai Shan has attracted an estimated 2.25 million visitors, with millions more viewing him on the zoo's Web-based panda cam.

National Zoo Director John Berry told the Post he was glad the negotiations with China were smooth and ended up not involving additional money.

"It is the wonderful generosity of the People's Republic of China that has extended his stay for us," he said.

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