The Washington Post is reporting that the National Zoo in Washington DC has been promised $4.5 Million over the next 4 years so they can continue their Giant Panda reproduction program.

David M Rubenstein the co-founder and managing director of the Carlyle Group, a global asset-management firm. Is making the donation from his families money and not from his company.

The zoo reached a new lease agreement with China that extends the Pandas stay till 2015, earlier this year. The agreement reduced the amount of money the zoo needs to pay China each year to host the pandas and allows them to swap one of the pandas if they do not produce a cub this year.

Despite the lowering of the annual cost of the pandas, the zoo was having problems getting companies to sponsor the Giant Pandas until Mr Rubenstien stepped in with his generous offer.