Did you know that Panda Conservation has a juicy political history and it paved the way for one of the biggest wildlife success stories in the world.

The giant panda story is a very good example to show that look, if we really put a lot of efforts,

what difference we can make.

It's Monday, July 8th, and you're listening to Science Friday.

I'm Cyfry producer Rasha Irriti.

For decades, one of the must-sees on a visit. Scifry producer Rasha Iridi.

For decades, one of the must seas on a visit to Washington, D.C. was the National Zoo.

To pay a visit to America's Sweethearts, the Pandas.

But last fall, those beloved bears return to China, leaving the

Zoo's panda enclosures empty for the first time in many, many years. The good news for

Panda fans is that a new set of Panda Bears are headed

back to the National Zoo later this year and to other zoos in the U.S. like the San Diego Zoo.

But when the Pandas left D.C. in the fall, it stirred up some questions about why we had these bears in the first place, and what their departure could mean for Panda conservation.

I dug into the history and science of this with journalist Asia Drain. Today we're

resharing that story which originally aired in December since it just won an

award from the Public Media Journalists Association. In 1972, Panda's arrived at the Smithsonian National

Zoo in Washington, D.C. to huge fanfare. And since then, Panda's have easily become the

city's most beloved residents.

Mom!

The Panda!

But for the first time, in more than 50 years, the district is pandless.

Indefinitely.

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