Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing

During their time at the National Zoo, the pair had five cubs between 1983 and 1989, but none of them survived past a few days.

Ling-Ling died suddenly from heart failure[2] on December 30, 1992,[3] at which time she was the longest-lived giant panda in captivity outside China.

Hsing-Hsing would go on to pass her record when he was euthanized by zookeepers on November 28, 1999, at the age of 28 due to kidney failure.

[4] Following Hsing-Hsing's death, the zoo received thousands of letters and cards from people across the country expressing sympathy.

The Panda House at the National Zoo remained empty for over a year until the arrival of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian from the Wolong Research and Conservation Center for the Giant Panda in December 2000.