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Thread: Pandas!

  1. #46
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    Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight

    Happy National Panda Day!

    ‘Kung Fu Panda’: Jack Black to Reprise Role in New Netflix Animated Series
    Martin Holmes
    29 MINS AGO

    Netflix
    Netflix is celebrating National Panda Day with the announcement that Jack Black is returning as the Kung Fu Panda, Po, for a new animated series, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight.

    Black confirmed the news on his social media pages on Wednesday (March 16), preparing fans for another globe-trotting adventure with the heroic yet accident-prone giant panda Po. Helmed by DreamWorks Animation, the new series is executive produced by Shaunt Nigoghossian (Bunnicula) and Peter Hastings, who previously developed the 2011 Nickelodeon spinoff series Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness.

    The story of the new series revolves around a mysterious pair of weasels who set their sights on a collection of four powerful weapons. It’s up to Po to leave his home and head out on a quest for redemption and justice. On his journey, Po finds himself partnered up with a no-nonsense English knight named Wandering Blade. These two mismatched warriors embark on an epic adventure to save the world — and they may even learn a thing or two from each other along the way.

    Kung Fu Panda was first released in 2008 and was directed by John Stevenson and Mark Osborne. It starred the voices of Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Seth Rogen, and Lucy Liu. It became the third highest-grossing film of 2008, launching a multimedia franchise along with two movie sequels and two TV series, the previously mentioned Legends of Awesomeness and Prime Video’s Kung Fu Panda: The Paws of Destiny.

    The Dragon Knight marks the first time Black has reprised his role for a TV spinoff — only Liu and James Hong reprised their film roles for the Legends of Awesomeness. Chris Geere also stars as Klaus, alongside Della Saba as Veruca.

    Check out the first look images from the new series below.


    Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight: Season 1. Jack Black as Po in Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight: Season 1. Cr. NETFLIX © 2022


    Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight: Season 1. (L-R) Chris Geere as Klaus, Della Saba as Veruca, and Jack Black as Po in Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight: Season 1. Cr. NETFLIX © 2022


    Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight: Season 1. (L-R) Jack Black as Po and Della Saba as Veruca in Kung Fu Panda: Dragon Knight: Season 1. Cr. NETFLIX © 2022
    threads
    Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight
    Kung-Fu-Panda
    Pandas!
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
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  2. #47
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    RIP Rusty

    Rusty the red panda, who briefly ran free in D.C. in 2013, has unexpectedly died
    October 21, 202212:57 AM ET
    HALISIA HUBBARD


    In this handout provided by the Smithsonian National Zoo, a male red panda named Rusty is seen in his exhibit in the Smithsonian National Zoo in 2013 in Washington, D.C.
    Handout/Getty Images

    Some who were in Washington, D.C., in 2013 are mourning the loss of Rusty the red panda, who captivated the city when he escaped from the Smithsonian's National Zoo almost a decade ago. He was 10 years old.

    He died on Oct. 14. Pueblo Zoo, where he was living, currently does not know the cause of death, Sandy Morrison, marketing and communications manager at Pueblo Zoo, told NPR in an email.


    Rusty was found in Adams Morgan, which borders the park lands around the zoo.
    Bethany Morlind

    The panda made headlines when he was just 11 months old, in June of 2013. Officials said they think rainfall weighed down some branches in his exhibit, which allowed him to drop to the other side of the enclosure. He was later spotted in D.C.'s Adams Morgan neighborhood by a resident.

    "I was walking home from lunch with my family when Rusty sauntered out from some bushes onto the sidewalk ahead of us," performing artist Ashley Wagner explained in an email to NPR. "He trotted along for a couple of blocks before taking refuge in a fenced-in yard."

    Wagner was able to take some photos of him, and said Twitter seemed like the fastest way to alert the zoo to Rusty's location. The tweet allowed the zoo to find him and return him to his home.

    "In a time of intense headlines (and sometimes overwhelming connection to technology), I think Rusty's story brought a sense of hope, whimsy, and adventure to all of our lives – and it highlighted the best of what social media can achieve," Wagner said.


    Rusty was "a wonderful ambassador for the species and was a fun, independent panda," Sandy Morrison of Pueblo Zoo told NPR.
    Bethany Morlind

    In 2019, he was transferred from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute — where he and another red panda had been relocated for reproductive purposes — to Colorado's Pueblo Zoo. They successfully mated while there.

    The twin cubs, a female named Momo and a male named Mogwai, were born in Aug. 2021. They're still at Pueblo Zoo, but their mother, Priya, now lives at the Utah Hogle Zoo.

    "He was a wonderful ambassador for the species and was a fun, independent panda who formed strong bonds with our Keepers. He will be sorely missed," Morrison wrote.

    The National Zoo has not made a public comment.
    At least he ran free for a while. Now he's free again.
    Gene Ching
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  3. #48
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    RIP Baby Spice

    Beloved red panda cub at Toronto Zoo unexpectedly passes away
    October 28, 2022

    dvm360 Staff


    In just his 3 months of life, he made a significant impact on all those at the zoo

    The Toronto Zoo recently announced the passing of a 3-month-old red panda cub, who was named Dash, and affectionately known as Baby Spice.


    Dash, or "Baby Spice," posing with a pumpkin (Photo courtesy of Toronto Zoo).

    According to an organizational release,1 on Saturday, October 22nd at the beginning and end-of-day check-ins, the cub displayed no signs of illness. However, on Sunday morning, the wildlife care staff heard the cub vocalizing and then discovered he was lying on his side and extremely weak. He was immediately sent to the Wildlife Health Centre for treatment by the Toronto Zoo veterinary team and put on oxygen, administered fluids, given antibiotics, and warmed up as his temperature was low. Though stable for a brief period, he then suddenly stopped breathing and had no pulse. Resuscitation attempts were futile.

    Additionally, staff contacted the veterinarian responsible for the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Red Panda Species Survival Program who noted that in cases like this, nothing more could be done. A post-mortem exam was performed to obtain samples for further testing which to understand what caused his sudden death.

    During his short life, Dash made a significant impact and had gained a substantial following on the Toronto Zoo social media.

    “Dash brought us keepers so much joy. It was wonderful to see his mom, Paprika, become such an amazing mother and to see the bond develop between her and Dash. We enjoyed watching him grow and meet every milestone with gusto. Every daily weigh-in was the highlight of our day and we loved seeing his little “Yoda” face every time we opened the nestbox, commented Dash’s wildlife care keepers, in the release.1 “To watch as he grew from a hesitant cub to a brave little boy will be one of our fondest memories. We are sad that our time with him was so short but we will cherish every moment we shared with him.”

    Wildlife care staff will further monitor Paprika, and currently she is adapting well without Dash by her side. This tragic loss demonstrates the fragility of cubs, even months after birth and as they transition from juveniles to adulthood.

    Red pandas are a challenging species to breed because of pre- and post-partum complications with offspring survival. The release1 cites research conducted by the Cincinnati Zoo that displays a high percentage of early pregnancy loss in this species compared to others, with 40% of pregnancies being lost before birth. Similar losses are documented after birth with around 40% of cubs dying within 1 year of birth. The low survival rates have a major effect on the growth of the red panda population under human care. In the wild, red panda cubs confront similar mortality rates because of their vulnerable state at birth and the continual anthropogenic pressures.
    Another red panda dies in captivity? wth?
    Gene Ching
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  4. #49
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    RIP Tuan Tuan

    Panda gifted to Taiwan by China dies
    11/19/2022November 19, 2022
    The panda was gifted to Taipei by Beijing as a symbol of warmer relations between the governments. He died after suffering a spate of seizures.


    A panda gifted to Taiwan by China 14 years ago died on Saturday, Taipei Zoo anounced.

    The giant panda, named Tuan Tuan, died after suffering a spate of seizures.

    He was born in 2004. Pandas can live for up to 30 years under human care, and have an average life span of 15-20 years in the wild.

    Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were given to Taiwan by China in 2008, as a gesture symbolizing rapprochement between the governments. China views Taiwan as part of its territory, and relations between Beijing and Taipei have deteriorated since 2016.

    What did Taipei Zoo say?

    "Our medical team has confirmed that Tuan Tuan's heart stopped beating at 13:48 (05:48 GMT)," the zoo said in a statement.

    The panda was given deep anesthesia to take CT scans earlier Saturday.

    Veterinarians decided to "let Tuan Tuan to continue to sleep" after it was clear that his condition was "irreversible" and he could no longer "live a quality life."

    Tuan Tuan began suffering seizures in August, and was observed to be increasingly lethargic. Medical scans showed the panda had a brain lesion, after which he was given anti-seizure medication.

    Taipei Zoo suspected that the panda had a brain tumor and began palliative care in October.

    Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je thanked Tuan Tuan for "bringing happiness to Taiwanese people and making Taipei Zoo more wonderful."

    China only lends pandas to foreign zoos, which must return any offspring within a few years of their birth. Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan and their offspring were fully gifted to Taiwan. The pair had two female cubs at Taipei Zoo.
    Well this bodes poorly.
    Gene Ching
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  5. #50
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    Thuraya and Suhail

    Trending in China
    Panda prophets: first giant Chinese bears in Middle East turn World Cup soccer stars by ‘predicting’ winners and losers

    Giant pandas, Thuraya and Suhail, follow in footsteps of Paul the predicting Octopus who rose to fame during the 2010 World Cup
    Pair of bears have already ‘guessed’ the unexpected winners of two matches in the group stages of the tournament

    Alice Yan in Shanghai
    Published: 6:00pm, 25 Nov, 2022



    The first Chinese giant pandas to take up residence in the Middle East, Thuraya and Suhail, are making a splash at the soccer World Cup in Qatar by “predicting” the outcome of matches. Photo: SCMP Composite.
    The first Chinese giant pandas ever to take up residence in the Middle East – who arrived in Qatar just ahead of the Fifa World Cup 2022 – are making a new name for themselves, by “predicting” the results of matches at the tournament.
    Following in the tentacle-steps of Paul the Octopus who rose to fame doing the same thing at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the pair – three-year-old female Thuraya and Suhail, a four-year-old male – have already correctly “predicted” the unexpected winners of two matches.
    They left their home in China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Pandas’ Ya’an base in Sichuan province at the beginning of this month and first received visitors in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, last week.

    Giant pandas Thuraya and Suhail await transportation to Qatar at the Ya’an base of the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda in Sichuan province. Photo: Xinhua.
    On the eve of the tournament’s opening match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador, staff at the Panda House in Al Khor Park where Thuraya and Suhail live placed the flags of the competing countries on a glass wall.
    Soon after doing so, one of the pandas crawled towards the wall, looked at each flag for a few seconds, paused, sniffed both for a while before raising a paw to touch the flag of Ecuador, a short video has shown. The South American team went on to win the game.

    One of the Chinese giant pandas working their magic before Qatar took on Ecuador in the opening match of the tournament. Photo: Toutiao.
    Two days later, prior to the match between Germany and Japan, the same flag scenario was set up and one of the pandas – it is still unclear which one – wasted no time before placing both paws against the Japanese national flag. Japan won.
    The panda duos’ predictions have amused mainland Chinese internet users.
    “It’s magic! Is there some mystical power from the East?” Joked one Weibo poster.
    “Awesome! Perhaps I can let my pet cat try it tomorrow,” said another.
    However, as every gambler knows, you can’t win them all.
    Hours before the game between Uruguay and South Korea on Thursday, one of the pandas predicted a Uruguay win. The game ended in a goalless draw.
    “Don’t blame our pandas. They didn’t have the option of a draw,” said an internet user.
    Many netizens said the panda-predictors reminded them of Paul the Octopus from Germany whose uncannily accurate predictions at the 2010 World Cup turned him into a global celebrity.
    .
    Paul the Octopus who rose to global prominence by “predicting” the outcome of matches at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Photo: EPA/Roland Weihrauch.
    Sadly, just weeks after the 2010 tournament ended, Paul passed away, possibly as a result of his exertions.


    Alice Yan

    Alice Yan is a Shanghai-based social and medical news reporter. She started her journalism career in 2003 and has degrees in economics and public administration.
    Still mourning the passing of Paul...
    Gene Ching
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  6. #51
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    RIP Tala and Sumi

    Longleat safari park red panda cubs die in cold snap
    Published
    2 days ago


    IMAGE SOURCE, LLOYD WINTERS/LONGLEAT
    Tala and Sumi were born in early summer

    By Tess de la Mare
    BBC News
    A rare pair of red panda cubs bred at Longleat have died during the cold snap.
    Twins Tala and Sumi, who were born in early summer, were found dead in their nesting box at the Wiltshire safari park on Thursday morning.
    It is thought they died from hypothermia, a spokesman for the park said.
    The fact their mother had stopped providing supportive feeds may also have played a part, they added.
    The cubs were born to parents Emma and Lionel and were first seen by the public in September when they began to venture outside.
    Red pandas are native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, where temperatures can reach -15C (5F).
    Temperatures at Longleat are thought to have dipped to between -7C (19.4F) and -8C (17.6F) overnight into Thursday.
    But keepers at the safari park think the fact that their mother had started the weaning process and was no longer providing supportive feeds may have contributed to the cubs' deaths.


    IMAGE SOURCE, LLOYD WINTERS/LONGLEAT
    The cubs were part of a breeding programme aimed at boosting numbers of the endangered species

    The spokesman said: "We've provided an increase in diet, shelter and bedding, however the cubs were mostly still dependant on their mum."
    Red pandas have a very high mortality rate, Longleat said, with just one in five wild pandas surviving to adulthood.
    The species are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with as few as 2,500 thought to be living in the wild.
    Their main threats are habitat loss, deforestation and poaching.
    Tala and Sumi were the seventh and eighth red pandas to have been born at Longleat, which is part of a breeding programme to try and boost numbers.
    Previous cubs have gone on to collections all over Europe, with some starting to have cubs of their own.
    'Sadness at saying goodbye'
    Longleat said the twins had been "closely monitored and looked after by our dedicated team".
    The spokesman said: "We know so many of you have loved seeing these beautiful creatures for yourselves and will share our sadness in having to say goodbye to them.
    "Thank you for your understanding at this time, especially for our keepers who formed such a special bond with them both."
    What is up with all these panda deaths lately?
    Gene Ching
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  7. #52
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    RIP Le Le

    Le Le the Giant Panda from Memphis Zoo Dead at 25: 'Le Le Was a Happy Bear'
    "He had an easy-going personality and was a favorite of all who met and worked with him over the years,” the Memphis Zoo said in a statement

    By Alexis Jones Published on February 3, 2023 11:59 PM

    Memphis Zoo is devasted to announce the passing of Giant panda “Le Le.” Le Le was born July 18th, 1998 and was 25 years old at the time of his passing. Le Le came to Memphis Zoo in 2003. Le Le’s name translates to “happy happy”, and his name perfectly reflected his personality. Le Le was a happy bear that enjoyed apples, engaging with enrichment and relaxing while covering himself with freshly shredded bamboo. He had an easy-going personality and was a favorite of all who met and worked with him over the years. Le Le was adored by his keepers, all of the staff at the Memphis Zoo as well as the City of Memphis. Over the last twenty years Le Le has delighted millions of guests, served as an exemplary ambassador for his species and remains a shining symbol of conservation partnership with the People’s Republic of China. At this time, a cause of death has yet to be determined as medical investigation is pending


    PHOTO: MEMPHIS ZOO
    Le Le, one of the Memphis Zoo's giant pandas, has died. He was 25.

    In a statement posted to its Facebook page on Friday, the zoo said that Le Le — which translates to "happy happy" — was found dead.

    "Memphis Zoo is devasted [sic] to announce the passing of Giant panda 'Le Le,' " the zoo said in the post.

    "Le Le was a happy bear that enjoyed apples, engaging with enrichment and relaxing while covering himself with freshly shredded bamboo. He had an easy-going personality and was a favorite of all who met and worked with him over the years," the statement read.

    They continued: "Le Le was adored by his keepers, all of the staff at the Memphis Zoo as well as the City of Memphis. Over the last twenty years Le Le has delighted millions of guests, served as an exemplary ambassador for his species and remains a shining symbol of conservation partnership with the People's Republic of China."

    According to Fox 13, Le Le showed no signs that he was sick, but had seemingly been eating poorly for a few hours one day due to a stomach ache. However, he appeared to resume eating well after that day, a Memphis Zoo veterinarian said, per the outlet.

    As of now, no cause of death has been determined.

    "We intend to find a reason for his passing," the veterinarian added, according to the outlet.

    "We want the final examination to be absolutely as thorough as possible," a Memphis Zoo spokesperson said, per Fox 13. "But, we are thankful that it was peaceful and all indications are that case. In fact, he was thought to be sleeping. And, for that, we are thankful."

    Le Le was one of the zoo's two giant pandas, spending the past 20 years with Ya Ya in Memphis, Tennessee. Le Le died months before he was scheduled to return to China with Ya Ya once the loan contract ends in April, according to Action News 5.

    However, animal protection organizations, In Defense of Animals and Panda Voices, spoke out about the alleged lack of medical care and sustenance provided to the pandas by the Memphis Zoo.

    "It's beyond heartbreaking that LeLe died prematurely of neglect and inadequate care when he was so close to being returned to China," said Brittany Michelson, Captive Animals Campaigner for In Defense of Animals, in a press release. "Memphis Zoo blatantly failed him. His health was clearly suffering, yet no recommended changes were made to help him or YaYa. Memphis Zoo has demonstrated its inability to properly care for the pandas, and must not be allowed to exhibit them in the future."

    "It is with a heavy heart that we acknowledge King LeLe has passed on to Panda Planet," added Tom Clemenson, spokesperson for Panda Voices. "We have fought very hard to bring awareness and change to the lives of giant pandas worldwide, that fight began with LeLe and YaYa at the Memphis Zoo. Our dedication of the past three years — preventing LeLe from dying at Memphis Zoo has unfortunately become reality. In the name of LeLe, we continue the fight to save YaYa. Please expect a full investigation to follow. We must Protect All Pandas."

    PEOPLE has reached out to the Memphis Zoo in regards to the allegations made by In Defense of Animals and Panda Voices, but did not immediately hear back.
    Neglect? Ouch...
    Gene Ching
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  8. #53
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    Seditious Panda

    FBI Arrests Jan. 6 ‘Seditious Panda’
    Jesse James Rumson, the man who allegedly breached the Capitol while wearing a costume panda head, was arrested Monday by federal authorities
    BY NIKKI MCCANN RAMIREZ
    FEBRUARY 27, 2023

    Jesse James Rumson as depicted on Jan. 6 in an image via FBI.

    YOU WON’T FIND this panda at the national zoo. Jesse James Rumson, the man who allegedly breached the Capitol on Jan. 6 while wearing a costume panda head, was arrested Monday by federal authorities. The FBI arrested Rumson on charges of assaulting, resisting or impeding an officer, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, as well as engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds.

    Rumson was filmed entering the Capitol via a fire escape exit that had been broken through by rioters who then fought with police officers inside the building. Rumson can be seen entering alongside a group of individuals after law enforcement were forced to retreat.

    Here's footage from a Jan. 6 trial of what that break-in by the Senate Parliamentarian's office looked like from the inside: pic.twitter.com/BTBjH3LmIw

    — Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) June 1, 2022
    According to an FBI affidavit, Rumson, dubbed “Seditious Panda” online, removed his panda head at various points in and around the Capitol. Rumson exited the Capitol after about 15 minutes while wearing a pair of handcuffs. Rioters outside the building helped remove the cuffs, after which Rumson was filmed near the Senate Wing Door as protesters attempted to bash it open. Rumson can be heard yelling “get a ram” in the audio. The affidavit states that Rumson “assaulted at least one law enforcement officer […] after running through the crowd towards the officer, reaching out, and grabbing the officer’s face shield, which forced the officer’s head and neck back and upwards.”

    His garb during the events did less to anonymize him than it did to draw attention from online sleuths and law enforcement. Rumson is one of more than 1000 people charged in relation to the certification-day attack on the Capitol.

    As Rumson’s case makes its way to the courts he may choose to adopt one of the defense strategies leveled by other Jan. 6 defendants. A recent example is Michael Daniele, a New Jersey man charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor in relation to the attack who claims he only entered the Capitol because he was “looking for a bathroom.” Another man who leveled a similar bathroom defense, Robert Reederm, was sentenced to three months jail time in Oct. 2021 (likely because, despite his claim, there is footage of him shoving a police officer).

    While the rioters of Jan. 6 may have behaved like a bunch of wild beasts, the beloved pandas of the Smithsonian remain the best pandas in Washington, D.C..
    “looking for a bathroom”
    Gene Ching
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  9. #54
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    Happy National Panda Day!


    (Getty Images)
    WSAV NOW
    Fun facts for National Panda Day
    by: Angel Colquitt
    Posted: Mar 16, 2023 / 11:00 AM EDT
    Updated: Mar 16, 2023 / 10:42 AM EDT

    SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) – National Panda Day is March 16, which means it is time for some fun facts about pandas. Here is a list of five things you should know about giant pandas.

    They are no longer endangered

    As of 2021, giant pandas have been reclassified as “vulnerable,” instead of “endangered.” This is because of successful breeding efforts in captivity. These efforts mean that as of 2022, there were around 600 living in captivity, while there were around 1,800 living in the wild.

    Their biggest threat is habitat destruction

    Pandas live their lives in forests where they munch away on bamboo, which makes up the majority of their diet. However, because of the encroachment of humans on their habitats through logging and agricultural endeavors, their forests have become separated. This has caused the pandas to be isolated from one another, impeding their ability to expand their population.

    They communicate mostly through scent marking

    Perhaps because these creatures live in isolation, they never developed the ability to express themselves through body language. Instead, they usually communicate with other pandas through noises or, more commonly, scent marking. This means that they use scents created by their urine and fur to mark routes and territory.

    Newborn pandas are 1/900th the size of their mother

    A newborn panda is typically around three to five ounces, making it one of the smallest mammalian newborns compared to its mother’s body size. The only babies smaller in comparison to their mother’s body size are marsupials.

    Pandas can live over 30 years in captivity

    While it is not certain how old a giant panda can live in the wild, one thing is certain: they live longer in captivity. Giant pandas live on average up to 30 years in captivity, though pandas in China have been reported to live up to 35 years in captivity.
    I need to change my socks to my panda socks...
    Gene Ching
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  10. #55
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    zaijian Ya Ya

    Giant panda Ya Ya to return to China from US in a few days: national authority
    By Global Times
    Published: Apr 24, 2023 10:57 PM

    Giant panda Ya Ya, whose health has come under the spotlight since early March, will return to China in a few days from Memphis Zoo in the US, China's National Forestry and Grassland Administration was quoted as saying by the Xinhua News Agency on Monday.

    Ya Ya, a female panda, was born in the Beijing Zoo in August 2000. In April 2003, as part of a cooperation program on the protection and research of giant pandas between China and the US, Ya Ya and Le Le, a male panda from the Shanghai Zoo, were flown to Memphis.

    The Memphis Zoo announced in December 2022 that it would return Le Le and Ya Ya to China, concluding 20 years of cooperative research on time. However, in February this year, Le Le unfortunately died.

    Ya Ya, together with Le Le's body, will board a home-bound FedEx flight to Shanghai, according to media reports. The Global Times learned from FedEx that the flight was very likely to take off by the end of April.

    Some experts from the Beijing Zoo travelled to the Memphis Zoo in March to prepare for the returning journey of Ya Ya. They took over the job to look after Ya Ya since April 8.

    Experts said they had also conducted interactions and learned some training gestures and training commands from caretakers at the Memphis Zoo in order to assist with the adjustment upon returning to China, Xinhua reported.

    The Memphis Zoo has a relatively sound management system and operation procedures, a veterinarian from the Beijing Zoo told Xinhua, noting that Ya Ya's body weight and health condition are currently stable.

    Keepers at the Memphis Zoo record the time, type, and weight of food provided to Ya Ya every day, as well as the situation of her excrement, while veterinarians would conduct health examinations on Ya Ya on time. This data is provided to the Chinese side regularly, according to the veterinarian.

    Ya Ya has been receiving adaptive training, for example, she is being fed with biscuits from China so that her digestive system can adapt as soon as possible after returning to China. Training has also been conducted to help her get accustomed to the shipping crate for the cross-ocean flight, according to Xinhua.

    Special care is needed for an aging panda, and zoo staffers have taken detailed notes on Ya Ya's diet and carefully check her mouth, back, and hands daily, Associate Curator Lauren Caskey at Memphis Zoo told Xinhua.

    In Caskey's eyes, Ya Ya is funny and likes to be close with people. She is also very smart and adaptable. Caskey said she is confident that Ya Ya will do great when she returns to China.

    Since the beginning of 2021, there have been continuous reports about poor health conditions of Ya Ya and Le Le, with heart-wrenching photos surfacing online. After the death of Le Le, pictures of the emaciated Ya Ya have caused a stronger impact on the Chinese public leading to many netizens calling for early return of Ya Ya.

    In regards to the growing concern for Ya Ya's health, Director of Animal Programs at the Memphis Zoo Courtney Janney said that "she looks a little bit different than what you would consider your stereotypic, very robust giant panda. She's always been a smaller framed, petite bear who carries her weight a little differently," according to the Memphis Zoo's website.

    Dr. Felicia Knightly, the Memphis Zoo's senior veterinarian, also said that Ya Ya looks "normal" considering her age and size. "We have monitored and evaluated Ya Ya for the last eighteen years and she is following the exact cycling and weight pattern she always does."

    Ya Ya's latest progress was hailed by Chinese netizens, and the related hashtag had been viewed more than 150 million times as of Monday afternoon. "It is the best news I have heard in April, welcome back home," one netizen said on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo.

    But some others still expressed worries over Ya Ya's condition, as she looked emaciated in the videos and photos circulating online. Some netizens also called for attention for Mei Xiang, another giant panda living in the US.
    Panda diplomacy is fascinating
    Gene Ching
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  11. #56
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    albino

    Unique Albino Panda Spotted in China, Sans Eye Mask
    NATURE
    02 June 2023
    By CARLY CASSELLA

    Albino panda. (Wolong National Nature Reserve)
    The world's first and only albino panda finally lumbered past a motion-sensitive field camera in the mountains of China earlier this year – the first time it's been spotted since 2019.

    Thankfully, the unique creature seems to be growing up happy and healthy in the Wolong National Nature Reserve, a protected region in the Sichuan province that is home to roughly 150 giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca).

    But only this one is known to be white.

    The famous individual is the bearer of a rare genetic mutation that turns the species' usual black-and-white fur a uniform pale cream color.


    Footage of the albino panda captured in February of 2023. (Wolong National Nature Reserve)
    It appears to be an albino animal, which carry a mutation that interferes with pigment production in the skin, eyes, and hair, but there's a chance this genetic condition can also result in physical impairments or disease.

    It's been four years since field cameras first caught sight of China's albino panda, and yet there's still no sign that the five- or six-year-old is sick in any way.



    Even though it's the black sheep of the panda community, it seems to fit in just fine. In footage from February, recently aired by China's state broadcaster, the all-white panda was shown interacting with a mother panda and her roughly two-year-old cub as they nestled in the hollow of a tree.

    "By the end of February, adult wild pandas in Wolong are in the estrus (mating) season, during which female pandas with cubs can be very aggressive when an adult panda approaches or invades," engineer Wei Rongping from the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas told China Daily.

    "This female panda was extremely calm and did not behave as expected. One possibility is that she is the mother of the all-white panda."


    Footage of the albino panda playing with a black-and-white panda. (Wolong National Nature Reserve/Xinhua)
    Field cameras in the wildlife sanctuary recorded more than a dozen further interactions between the albino panda and other pandas in the region.

    According to the South China Morning Post, there's even a video of the white panda playing with a black-and-white peer.

    The albino panda's sex hasn't yet been determined, but researchers say it is almost the size of an adult now and shows signs of sexual maturity.

    To learn more about the creature, researchers are hoping to catch more footage of it and possibly snag a bit of its DNA.

    If the panda does end up reproducing with another of its kind, experts aren't sure if its genetic quirk will be inherited or not.
    Interesting find
    Gene Ching
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  12. #57
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    2000 year old panda bones

    Fully Intact Giant Panda Skeleton Discovered in Chinese Emperor’s 2,000-Year-Old Tomb
    Archaeologists previously found a panda skull in a nearby Han burial, but its torso was missing
    Meilan Solly
    Associate Editor, History
    August 16, 2023


    The remains likely belong to a Qinling panda rather than a Sichuan panda. Pictured: Qi Zai, a Qinling panda born in captivity AilieHM via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 4.0
    When Emperor Wen of Han died in 157 B.C.E., he was buried in an enormous mausoleum alongside dozens of animals, including golden snub-nosed monkeys, Indian wild buffalo and red-crowned cranes. The sheer number of rare species represented in the tomb, located in China’s Shaanxi Province, impressed the archaeologists who excavated it in 2021 and 2022. But it was another find that captured the public’s attention: the complete skeleton of a giant panda, which is the first of its kind discovered at an ancient Chinese burial site.

    A team led by Hu Songmei, an archaeologist at the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, identified the remains by comparing them with existing panda bone specimens, reports Liu Kexin for West China Metropolis Daily. The animal was buried in a sacrificial pit outside Wen’s grave, with its head facing the tomb and its tail facing west. Its body was placed on top of a tiled brick structure.

    The bones probably belonged to a Qinling panda, not a Sichuan panda. Of the two subspecies, the Qinling “have rounder faces,” Hu tells thecover.cn, per a translation by the Global Times.


    The skeleton of an Asian forest tortoise unearthed at Nan Mausoleum, the burial place of Empress Dowager Bo Chinese Social Sciences Today
    While finding a complete skeleton is unusual, partial remains of sacrificed pandas have been discovered at similar sites. In 1975, archaeologists excavating the nearby mausoleum of Wen’s mother, Empress Dowager Bo, found a giant panda’s skull, but its body was missing, perhaps stolen by graverobbers, notes the Washington Post’s Lyric Li. More recent excavations of Bo’s tomb yielded golden eagles, sika deer and rhesus monkeys.

    Wen and Bo were far from the only ancient Chinese royals laid to rest with animal companions for the afterlife. Warrior queen Fu Hao, a member of the Shang dynasty, was buried with six dogs (as well as 16 sacrificed humans) around 1250 B.C.E.; the tomb of Qin Shi Huang, founder of the Qin dynasty, contained the bones of deer, sheep, chicken, fish and turtles, not to mention thousands of terracotta warriors. While everyday citizens were sometimes buried with domesticated animals, rarer species were reserved chiefly for imperial mausoleums.

    As Hu and colleagues Cao Long and Zhang Wanwan write in the journal Chinese Social Sciences Today, sacrificed animals “were symbols of social roles and status” for China’s elite. Their presence in ancient tombs supports written accounts of Han royal gardens, which mention many of the same species. The animals may have been buried to recreate the gardens for the deceased in the afterlife.

    “The arrangement of imitating living facilities within mausoleums embodies the traditional funeral belief that the deceased should be served as if they were alive,” write the researchers.


    A 19th-century drawing of a Malayan tapir Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
    While Han dynasty rulers may have had a particular penchant for pandas, the number of sacrificial pits and the diversity of species discovered in the Shaanxi tombs indicates the bears were more likely included in the burials as part of a replica royal garden, Cao tells the West China Metropolis Daily.

    The pandas could have been offerings from southern China, the species’ traditional habitat. Alternatively, reports Echo Xie for the South China Morning Post, the bears may have been more abundant in Shaanxi, which is in northwest China, during the Han dynasty, with a wetter, warmer climate encouraging the growth of bamboo. The researchers plan to conduct DNA analyses to determine where the sacrificed animals originated and what they ate before they died.

    In addition to the panda remains, the team found the complete skeleton of an Asian tapir, an endangered black-and-white mammal most closely related to horses and rhinos. The animal went extinct in China some 1,000 years ago, during the Song dynasty, leading to confusion over whether references to tapirs in ancient Chinese texts refer to the large herbivorous mammal or the similarly colored panda. Per the West China Metropolis Daily, the presence of both species in the same tomb suggests that people in Han China were describing two different animals.


    Meilan Solly
    Meilan Solly is Smithsonian magazine's associate digital editor, history.
    You'd think those grave robbers would've stolen the skull first...
    Gene Ching
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  13. #58
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    Farewell Mei Xiang, Tian Tian & Xiao Qi Ji

    A government shutdown could cut short the National Zoo's panda goodbye celebrations

    September 25, 20235:01 AM ET
    Emma Bowman, photographed for NPR, 27 July 2019, in Washington DC.


    Male giant panda Xiao Qi Ji rolls around in his enclosure during a "Panda Palooza" event at the Smithsonian National Zoo on Saturday, in Washington, D.C. We're guessing he hasn't heard about the looming government shutdown.
    Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
    A government shutdown could suck the life out of the party for some of Washington, D.C.'s most popular residents: the pandas.

    The National Zoo is holding a series of panda-themed events to commemorate the departure of its only three pandas: elderly pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their 3-year-old son Xiao Qi Ji are heading back to China. The nine-day farewell bash is just getting started. But Washington succumbing to a shutdown would cut the celebrations short a day early.

    The three pandas are on loan from China under an agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association and will return to the country by Dec. 7.

    All of the National Zoo's pandas are leaving to China by December 7
    The zoo is holding the "Panda Palooza," its long anticipated goodbye party for the pandas, from Sept. 23 to Oct. 1. Meanwhile, government funding will expire on Oct. 1, the same day the government would shut down if Congress can't pass a new funding plan.

    Like all Smithsonian institutions, because the National Zoo receives federal funding, it too must close to the public in the event of a shutdown.

    For many panda fans, the sendoff may be their last chance to see the trio before their farewell journey. After that, the zoo will be panda-less for the first time in more than 50 years.

    Wind and rain has already has dampened the party, with the zoo canceling some Palooza events, The Washington Post reported. But the weather hasn't kept avid panda fans away. Local and out-of-state residents flocked to the zoo to catch a glimpse, with many sharing photos on social media of the pandas frolicking around the bamboo and munching on ice cakes.

    As in shutdowns past, the halt of "nonessential" government functions would also mean the Smithsonian's live giant panda cam goes dark.
    Another embarrassing moment in US government.
    Gene Ching
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  14. #59
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    All the Pandas in American Zoos Set to Return to China

    Gene Ching
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  15. #60
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    The end of panda diplomacy

    The 3 remaining pandas have left the National Zoo. Why China is taking all its pandas back.
    It’s the end of an era for so-called panda diplomacy.
    Dylan Stableford and Yahoo News Photo Staff
    Updated Wed, November 8, 2023, 8:07 PM PST·4 min read

    The National Zoo’s three giant pandas — Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji — left Washington, D.C., early Wednesday and were taken to Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia, where they were boarded onto the specially equipped Boeing FedEx Panda Express to begin their long trans-Pacific flight to Chengdu, China, their new home.

    According to the zoo, the pandas are traveling with approximately 220 pounds of bamboo, 8 pounds of leaf-eater biscuits, 5 pounds of low-starch biscuits, 6 pounds of apples, 5 pounds of carrots, 6 pounds of sweet potatoes, 3 pounds of sugar cane, 1 pound of pears and 1 pound of cooked squash for the 19-hour flight, which will include a refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska.

    Speaking outside an empty panda enclosure, National Zoo director Brandie Smith called it a "hard morning."

    End of an era


    Tian Tian at the National Zoo in Washington on Tuesday, the final day of viewing before being returned to China. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) (JIM WATSON via Getty Images)
    It’s the first time in 23 years the zoo has been without pandas, which have been a fixture there since 1972, when China gifted two pandas to the National Zoo as a gesture of goodwill during President Richard Nixon’s administration.

    Since then, zoos across the country have hosted giant pandas for years at a time. But that practice is coming to an end.

    And soon, there will be no pandas in the United States.

    Zoos in Memphis and San Diego have already returned their pandas to China. And the only other pandas in the country, at Atlanta’s zoo, are set to be returned later this month.

    In 2024, for the first time in more than 50 years, there will be no pandas in the United States, after zoos in Atlanta and Washington, D.C., return theirs to China — which has been loaning its pandas to countries for decades.

    Why are they being returned?


    Tian Tian the panda en route to Dulles International Airport on Wednesday. (Stephanie Scarbrough/AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
    Usually, the Smithsonian Institution — which operates the National Zoo — renews its panda contracts in order to keep them. But this year officials say such attempts have failed.

    Smith said the zoo remains committed to its panda conservation program, and “we look forward to celebrating with all of you when pandas can return to D.C.”

    Did you know? Giant pandas are China’s national animal. Their life expectancy in the wild is about 15 years, but in captivity they have lived to be as old as 38.

    Back in April, Ya Ya, a giant panda that had spent 20 years at the Memphis Zoo, was returned after the zoo's loan agreement ended without renewal.

    Allegations of neglect against the Memphis Zoo were circulated on Chinese social media, which the zoo emphatically denied.

    Meanwhile, Ya Ya’s trip home was closely followed online in both the U.S. and China as her fans in both countries tracked her flight from Memphis to Shanghai.

    “An image from Chinese broadcaster Phoenix News was particularly popular among Chinese social media users,” the Associated Press explained at the time. “It showed Ya Ya relieving herself before the trip and leaving the poop as a present for the zoo.”

    What about other countries?


    Xiao Qi Ji plays at his enclosure at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 28. (Jose Luis Magana/AP) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
    Several countries around the world have pandas on loan from China that are also due to be returned when their agreements expire.

    Officials in Singapore announced that a giant panda cub named Le Le will be returned to China in December. A farewell event for the 2-year-old is set for Nov. 20.

    Similar celebrations were held for Xiang Xiang, a 5-year-old panda who was returned to China from Tokyo's Ueno Zoo in February, and Fan Xing, a 3-year-old panda who was returned to China from a zoo in the Netherlands last month.

    A giant panda on loan from China died suddenly in a zoo in northern Thailand in April, six months before she was due to return home.

    In July, two new pandas were born in South Korea, but they are considered the property of China and will soon be returned too.

    More panda coverage on Yahoo News


    The FedEx Panda Express taking off from Dulles International Airport with giant pandas Xiao Qi Ji, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang on board for their return trip to China. (Julia Nikhinson/Reuters) (Julia Nikhinson / reuters)
    I'm grateful that I saw the San Diego Zoo pandas when I did.
    Gene Ching
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