I see from the BBC news site that panda diplomacy is on again – China has gifted two giant pandas to Taiwan. I admit that giant pandas are cute, and have the interesting novelty of a extra digit (the “Panda’s Thumb”) that is derived from a modified sesamoid bone. But, really, a carnivore that subsists on a diet that is 99% bamboo, that cannot digest cellulose, and which needs to consume 9-14 kg of bamboo shoots a day has been dealt a rather unfortunate hand!
On the other hand, this YouTube video never fails to make me laugh:
[video:http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FzRH3iTQPrk 435×350]Other interesting facts:
- the newborn giant panda cub weighs only 150g
- there are two subspecies
- giant pandas are unusual in having no medicinal use (in traditional medicine)
- pandas lose interest in sex once in captivity – scientists have tried to arouse them with panda pornography
23rd December 2008 at 8:05 pm
I love the sneeze! I’m also curiously drawn into wondering what on earth panda pornography is … not anywhere near brave enough to Google it! 😉
24th December 2008 at 5:52 am
When I first watched the video, I was expecting the big panda to do something! As for the pandaporn, I certainly wouldn’t google that from work PCs!
Giant Pandas deserve extinction, really – they are absurd animals.
R