There will soon be no pandas in the U.S. for the first time since 1972, after U.S. zoos' agreements with China are set to expire by the end of next year. The Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., announced its pandas will return to China by December due to its three-year agreement the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Usually, the Smithsonian Institution will renew contracts when the time comes; however, this year, attempts have failed. The move comes as other zoos around the U.S. have already returned their pandas or are going to by the end of the year, marking the first time in 50 years the U.S. will not have any pandas. Swipe ➡️ to learn why some believe this is happening now, and to see how many pandas remain in the U.S. Visit the link in our bio for more. 📸: USA TODAY, AP, Getty Images, Zoo Atlanta