National Zoo giant pandas Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are superstars in Washington, D.C. Behind the scenes, and on the other side of the world, their presence here is making a real contribution to saving giant pandas and their habitat in the wild in China.

The Zoo's $1 million annual commitment to panda conservation in China will fund many projects over the next ten years, with a focus on projects in three nature reserves in the next two to three years: Quinfoshan, Meigu Da Feng Ding, and Yele.

These were selected because they are undeveloped and remote, receiving little attention compared to famous sites like Wolong, where Mei and Tian come from. The Zoo has also committed funds, being raised by Friends of the National Zoo, for research, education, and training, some of which will be conducted in a fourth nature reserve, Tangjiahe.

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, sponsor of these panda pages, provided the digital camera used during this recent trip to China.

Photos taken in China during the trip were by Susan Lumpkin, Communications Director for Friends of the National Zoo.

All other photos used in this narrative are by Jessie Cohen/NZP.