Panda Humans

[LeftEyeNine]

Just wanted to share this epic frame I saved while I was watching Planet Earth - Mountains.



I'm left speechless thinking that they are about to go extinct because of their preferences mostly, while they seem utterly depressed with being a panda. It's as if some human being was cursed to be one of them in the very beginning and they are carrying that grief over generations. Unwillingly alive, yet caring better than most of humankind.

[AlexanderSextus]

I'm left speechless thinking that they are about to go extinct because of their preferences mostly, while they seem utterly depressed with being a panda. It's as if some human being was cursed to be one of them in the very beginning and they are carrying that grief over generations. Unwillingly alive, yet caring better than most of humankind.

RLY??? can you elaborate on these causes for the extinction? sounds interesting.

[LeftEyeNine]

Their diet is fully based on bamboo, hence can only live in bamboo-concentrated areas. Also these animals suffer from their reluctance to reproduce.

[Pannonian]

Their diet is fully based on bamboo, hence can only live in bamboo-concentrated areas. Also these animals suffer from their reluctance to reproduce.

Pandas have a carnivore's anatomy, making their predominantly bamboo-based diet ridiculously illogical and unsuitable. While they sometimes supplement this with whatever meat they can find, they get little benefit from the majority of their diet. It's as though lions suddenly decided the majority of their diet shall consist of grass, however unsuited their bodies were for that food source.

[LeftEyeNine]

Aye. And as being zoologically "bears" they can't even hibernate during winter because of their diet. Your statement pretty much decribes it.

[naut]

Seems evolution messed up a little bit then, huh. Pity, since they are such beautiful animals.

[edyzmedieval]

With all due respect to China and these amazing animals, I doubt they will go extinct. The Capitalist Commie Republic of China and their hippie leaders aren't that dumb to let this incredible bear go extinct.

But they are amazing creatures!

[drone]

Their diet is fully based on bamboo, hence can only live in bamboo-concentrated areas. Also these animals suffer from their reluctance to reproduce.

So it's like humans being Vegans?

I felt like putting a bullet between the eyes of every Panda that wouldn't screw to save its species.

I saw the panda exhibit in the Atlanta zoo. The giant pandas are overrated, red pandas are waaaaay cuter.

[CountArach]

Their diet is fully based on bamboo, hence can only live in bamboo-concentrated areas.

And whose fault is it that there are fewer bamboo-heavy areas? Not the Pandas' that's for sure.

[Yoyoma1910]

With all due respect to China and these amazing animals, I doubt they will go extinct. The Capitalist Commie Republic of China and their hippie leaders aren't that dumb to let this incredible bear go extinct.

But they are amazing creatures!

They did recently kill off the only fresh water species of dolphin.

[Quirinus]

They did recently kill off the only fresh water species of dolphin.

I believe there are three species of freshwater dolphins (two excluding the Chinese river dolphin), one in India, the other in the Amazon....

[Strike For The South]

And whose fault is it that there are fewer bamboo-heavy areas? Not the Pandas' that's for sure.

They eat ALLOT

[Louis VI the Fat]

[LeftEyeNine]

[Ibrahim]

They did recently kill off the only fresh water species of dolphin.

It wasn't the Chinese government (as funny as it sounds, I know)-they'd been trying to save the Baiji since the 1970's. but their efforts were, to put it bluntly, too late. by the 1970's, there weren't more than a few hundred of these things. by the time all the measures were in place, there were none reported in the wild. And no, I'm not supporting the Chinese government, for the record.

and there are more than 1 species-there are in fact 3 more: Amazon River dolphin, the La Plata dolphin, and the lulz-worthy south Asian ones.

as to Pandas: couldn't care less. a species that is composed of a population of prudes who have a bad diet, and are demonstrably stupid (mentally) have pretty much condemned themselves to extinction-like many other over-specialized animals since the dawn of Earth's bio-history. (and srsly, what species is this prudish as a population?).

having said that: if we as humans think they're cute (I frankly don't get it), then we can always domesticate them or sth....srsly, I don't see what is so cute about them.....

[Drunk Clown]

It wasn't the Chinese government (as funny as it sounds, I know)-they'd been trying to save the Baiji since the 1970's. but their efforts were, to put it bluntly, too late. by the 1970's, there weren't more than a few hundred of these things. by the time all the measures were in place, there were none reported in the wild. And no, I'm not supporting the Chinese government, for the record.

and there are more than 1 species-there are in fact 3 more: Amazon River dolphin, the La Plata dolphin, and the lulz-worthy south Asian ones.

as to Pandas: couldn't care less. a species that is composed of a population of prudes who have a bad diet, and are demonstrably stupid (mentally) have pretty much condemned themselves to extinction-like many other over-specialized animals since the dawn of Earth's bio-history. (and srsly, what species is this prudish as a population?).

having said that: if we as humans think they're cute (I frankly don't get it), then we can always domesticate them or sth....srsly, I don't see what is so cute about them.....

It's a well known fact that panda's are cute. Did you skip your childhood?

[Tellos Athenaios]

Pandas have a carnivore's anatomy, making their predominantly bamboo-based diet ridiculously illogical and unsuitable. While they sometimes supplement this with whatever meat they can find, they get little benefit from the majority of their diet. It's as though lions suddenly decided the majority of their diet shall consist of grass, however unsuited their bodies were for that food source.

I get your point, but the thing is (a) this is not such an unusual evolutionary development; and (b) they evolved from a species that could readily digest plants to begin with. Bears are not exclusively carnivorous, they can (and often do, due to the peculiarities of their habitat) go herbivorous for months on end.

For a comparison Tyrannosaurs developed herbivorous Meso-American offspring.

For a much weirder evolutionary dead end, consider that species of ape which losts its insulating fur... and then migrated to occupy lots of cold places...

[Ibrahim]

For a comparison Tyrannosaurs developed herbivorous Meso-American offspring.

this I have to see, as looking in all the databases available to me, I haven't found any. I've seen Coelurosaurs that evolved into herbivores, but not from the Tyrannosauroidea, which were exclusively carnivorous.

It's a well known fact that panda's are cute. Did you skip your childhood?

no, not really. and I'm not sure if it is a "fact". I've never found them to be cute-not even as a kid. They've always come across as that lazy animal munching on bamboo, too prudish to have sex and make kids, which somehow ended up as the logo for the WWF (no, not the wrestling federation).

[Tellos Athenaios]

this I have to see, as looking in all the databases available to me, I haven't found any. I've seen Coelurosaurs that evolved into herbivores, but not from the Tyrannosauroidea, which were exclusively carnivorous.

Yes you are right, my mistake.

[drone]

It's a well known fact that panda's are cute. Did you skip your childhood?

Red Pandas are waaaaay cuter.

[Drunk Clown]

I've never found them to be cute-not even as a kid. They've always come across as that lazy animal munching on bamboo, too prudish to have sex and make kids, which somehow ended up as the logo for the WWF (no, not the wrestling federation).

That's what you were thinking when you were a kid? You are sure you did not skip childhood? :O

And yes Red pandas are cute too. But I don't compare them; there's time for both.

[Ibrahim]

Red Pandas are waaaaay cuter.

that I agree with. they just soooo adorable! :D

if only I could have a legal pet!

That's what you were thinking when you were a kid? You are sure you did not skip childhood? :O

And yes Red pandas are cute too. But I don't compare them; there's time for both.

well, no, but I don't have to think they are cute-because I don't.

[gaelic cowboy]

as to Pandas: couldn't care less. a species that is composed of a population of prudes who have a bad diet, and are demonstrably stupid (mentally) have pretty much condemned themselves to extinction-like many other over-specialized animals since the dawn of Earth's bio-history. (and srsly, what species is this prudish as a population?).

having said that: if we as humans think they're cute (I frankly don't get it), then we can always domesticate them or sth....srsly, I don't see what is so cute about them.....

This is a myth that Pandas are prudish, it is merely hard to get them to mate in captivity.

Also seeing as it's China there is not much truly open wild space for Pandas so they suffer from a distressed enviroment. An animal will delay or even stop reproduction IF it's enviroment is not conducive to reproduction.

Also they need a big range as Bamboo will flower and die off over large areas regular enough(a problem in China again).

Also the idea they are stupid must be questioned this is highly subjective idea, they are evolved for there enviroment and they have no to low predators hence they seem lazy etc but if they were stupid they would never have evolved at all in the first place.

Overspecialization is a problem as you correctly point out but we are the reason there dieing off, we changed there environment too quickly on them we could take a darwinian view on it but that may come back on us one day.

[Tellos Athenaios]

Yes. Imagine a mutation in tea causing its leaves to suddenly become much more toxic and fatal to humans when taken with milk. That would kill off nearly the entire CofE if not Britain...

[LeftEyeNine]

After 4 years, Pandas are still cute and I find their reluctance to reproduce somewhat charming, makes me think that they are intelligent and make choices against nature.

[Ibrahim]

This is a myth that Pandas are prudish, it is merely hard to get them to mate in captivity.

Also seeing as it's China there is not much truly open wild space for Pandas so they suffer from a distressed enviroment. An animal will delay or even stop reproduction IF it's enviroment is not conducive to reproduction.

Also they need a big range as Bamboo will flower and die off over large areas regular enough(a problem in China again).

Also the idea they are stupid must be questioned this is highly subjective idea, they are evolved for there enviroment and they have no to low predators hence they seem lazy etc but if they were stupid they would never have evolved at all in the first place.

Overspecialization is a problem as you correctly point out but we are the reason there dieing off, we changed there environment too quickly on them we could take a darwinian view on it but that may come back on us one day.

well strictly speaking, you are right-they're not really prudish. of course, I can still make fun of them .

but yeah, I concede that point.

[A Nerd]

Pandas seem like very delicate creatures



I heard though, like any other wild animal, or bear for that matter, they aren't as delicate when upset



Not a panda, the above, but I wanted to continue the theme.

[Vladimir]

So I see we have a bunch of pandaphiles here.

[Pannonian]

Here's a documentary for LEN.

BBC Natural World - Panda Makers

It seems they've perfected the science of breeding and raising panda in captivity, even if they have to resort to artificial methods to do it. Article 1 and 2 on Tao Tao, a captive-bred panda released into the wild last year.

For LEN: that panda mother unwilling to part with her baby is absolutely adorable.

[LeftEyeNine]

As soon as I get home where Youtube is not blocked as it is here at work, I will watch that, thank you already, Pano-sama.