Locals and tourists in Washington only have until Dec. 7 to see the giant pandas at the National Zoo before they are shipped off to China.

The district could be panda-free for the first time in five decades after the three pandas head to China right before Christmas, according to a report.

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An agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, which has been extended multiple times (including in 2020), dictates the panda's return.

The pandas first came to Washington in 1972, which launched a frenzy in the capital as visitors to the National Zoo fell in love with the animals.

"We're working with our Chinese partners to develop a new giant panda program," Annalisa Meyer, a spokeswoman with the National Zoo, said in a statement.

"After 51 years of success, we remain committed to the conservation of this species, which includes gaining a better understanding of the giant panda habitat. We've accomplished a lot. Now it is a question of what the science and conservation needs are for the future and how do we best pool our expertise and resources to attain new conservation goals," Meyer said.

In 2022, officials with the National Zoo said they hoped an agreement could be reached with the Chinese to keep the giant pandas in Washington "forever," the report noted.

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However, it is unclear if Mei Xiang, Xiao Qi Ji, and Tian Tian will celebrate another birthday at the National Zoo.

The zoo declared that the pandas' most recent birthdays, including Tian Tian's this Sunday, would be "their last birthdays in Washington, D.C."