panda pix

ok - i managed to stop myself signing up for panda groups on facebook with names like "Every time I see a panda I have an asthma attack because they're SO CUTE!" but i did grab a couple of photographs on my travels. the first one is at the same time adorable and somewhat disturbing:


yes they are being bred in captivity and thus subject to the human way of doing things (which we hope will not hamper their efforts to live in the wild when they are eventually released). at the same time, here they look a bit like cuddly little almost human orphans. pandas, we now know, are able to be fun-loving social creatures. It is easy to forget that they are animals, not teddy bears. they are eating bears, not friend bears. they are magnificent, not cute. if you had a real panda over for a playdate s/he would probably give you a friendly cuff that would (accidentally) break your neck. enough ranting and here is the other shot i liked - a panda moment ...