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US-born giant panda celebrates birthday in SW China

Xinhua, July 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

A party was thrown on Thursday in Sichuan Province, southwest China, to celebrate the 10th birthday for Taishan, an American-born giant panda.

Taishan munched down on a birthday cake made of apples and carrots while fans from around the world, who gathered at the Dujiangyan base of the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Panda (CCRCGP), sang him "Happy Birthday".

"I have been following Taishan's development since he was just nine months old," said one of the fans, who traveled from America for Thursday's party. "This is the eighth time I have attended his birthday party."

Taishan was born at the National Zoological Park, Washington D.C., in 2005. His mother, Mei Xiang, and his father, Tian Tian, were on a 10-year loan from China.

He attracted more than 12,000 visitors on his first public debut.

Former Washington mayor Adrian Fenty called Taishan "Washington's most important resident", and announced that April 24 would be Panda Day in the capital city.

Giant pandas are one of the world's most endangered species. According to the State Forestry Administration, there were 1,864 giant pandas left in the wild and 375 in captivity by the end of 2013. Endi