Panda Population Is Up

Thanks to all the readers who let Gothamist know that how there are 40% more pandas in the wild today than there were 16 years ago. It's very exciting, but since the increase seems dramatic because there were so few to start - the increase is only 480 pandas (from 1,110 to 1,590), not including the hundred some born in captivity, so pandas are still endangered. Gothamist also appreciated how many media agencies noted that pandas are "famously sex-shy" and "notoriously difficult breeders, forcing Chinese scientists to try everything to encourage them to mate including showing panda porn films," because if there's something we know about, it's about being picky. And panda porn.

Learn more about the endangered panda and what you can do to help at the World Wildlife Fund. The best picture (above) was on the Toronto Globe and Mail homepage, accompanying the article (thanks, Mary Lynn). And Gothamist will wonder about how much lobbying would it take to get a pair of pandas to the Bronx Zoo.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts & Entertainment on June 10, 2004 2:17 PM

Comments [rss]

spence

LOOK at that vicious little bastard!

--Already tearing people's arms off, is he!?!

Probably going to keep that watch as some kind of psycho 'trophy' like Hannibal Lecter or something.

I hope you die of extinction, you little InBred, banjo-playing psycho bastard child!

No panda porn for you, young man!

Jen

Why can't some millionaire billionaire build a panda reserve in the NY metro area? It'd make back its money in a year. Where are the venture capitalists?

lwc

I saw this cute photo and was going to send it to you too...

christine

cute cute photo

tien

sadly, there is no correlation between # of pandas in the world and # of pandas in your life...although 1.4x0 is still 0.

and 40% more pandas just means that there are now 40% more pandas that you aren't seeing.