Washington ( CNN ) -- A beloved giant panda will leave for China early next year to the disappointment of millions of fans in the United States . Washington 's National Zoo will say goodbye to 4-year-old Tai Shan as he makes his way to a breeding base in southwestern China . He 'll leave during the first quarter of 2010 , according to the zoo and Chinese state-run media . Tai Shan -- on loan from China -- was born at the National Zoo to pandas that also are borrowed from China . His father , 11-year-old Tian Tian , and his mother , 10-year-old Mei Xiang , are due in China in December 2010 , according to the Xinhua news agency . `` While we 're proud to send off a healthy panda to be part of China 's breeding program , we will indeed miss him dearly , '' the National Zoo 's Web site said of Tai Shan . He has more growing to do , however . `` Although Tai Shan has the build of a grownup male panda , we still have to wait for about two years before it is sexually mature , '' said Li Desheng , deputy director of the management office of the Wolong National Natural Reserve in Sichuan province , according to Xinhua . Tai Shan will never be released into the wild , but there is the hope that his offspring could be , the National Zoo said . `` Since we partnered with them 10 years ago , the Chinese have more than doubled their cub production , which means they 're about to reach the significant goal of having 300 pandas in captivity , '' the zoo said on its Web site . `` By reaching the target of 300 pandas , collectively we will ensure that the giant panda in captivity is demographically and genetically secure . It will be a huge conservation achievement . '' The United States has 13 pandas on loan from China , according to Xinhua . The three in Washington and one each in Atlanta , Georgia , and San Diego , California , are due to return to China next year . Though Tai Shan has lived in Washington , his fans have followed him online for years , via the National Zoo 's Pandacam . They 've oohed and aahed as he 's frolicked , had milestone exams and grown -- from less than 2 pounds at birth to more than 200 pounds at his peak weight .
Washington 's National Zoo will lose panda in 2010 . Tai Shan was born to pandas who were also on loan from China . Tai Shan is being sent to a military base in southwest China . China nearing goal of keeping more animals in captivity .