#nationalpandaday

[rabbitcruiser]

National Panda Day

Nature's cuddly ambassadors, with a diet that's 99% bamboo and an unmistakable appearance that's sure to melt your heart.

Giant pandas are big fluffy balls of fun and one of the most universally loved animals around, so it’s no wonder they have their own special day!

Yet due to habitat loss and fragmentation, pandas are sadly considered to be a vulnerable species and require dedicated conservation to preserve their numbers. National Panda Day is dedicated to celebrating these quirky creatures and spreading awareness of the threats they face in order to encourage efforts to protect them.

History of National Panda Day

The panda has been around for almost 20 million years and is the oldest living species of bear. Yes, that’s right, any rumors you’ve heard to the contrary about them not being bears is false – they are in fact part of the Ursidae (bear) family, although they do also have a fair amount in common with raccoons.

While pandas have long been respected in their native China, their shy and solitary nature means they feature rarely in Chinese history and art – the likelihood of coming across one bear, let alone an embarrassment of pandas (the excellent collective noun for these animals!), has always been slim. Yet with their clumsy and lovable character, they’re incredibly popular, so much so that back in the 1980s a Taiwanese zoo even painted a sun bear black and white to try and pass it off as a giant panda!

National Panda Day grew out of the need to help protect these beautiful bears, as sadly these big guys require conservation efforts to even have a chance at recovering from their current depleted state. With no more than 2-3,000 left in the wild and only a few hundred in captivity, we risk losing these precious mammals forever if we don’t act.

National Panda Day aims to promote efforts to preserve their habitat from threats such as urbanization and climate change and to support their protection all around the world. Ultimately it’s a day of hope, as panda numbers are gradually starting to increase again thanks to decades of conservation work, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) downgrading the species from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ in 2016.

If we all work together, we can continue these amazing advancements and ensure that the panda is safe and thriving, now and in the future.

National Panda Day Timeline

1869

Westerners first learn of Pandas

When a French missionary visits China, he is gifted with a skin from one of these fuzzy black and white bears.

1961

Giant Panda on WWF Logo

In an effort to promote the most vulnerable species, the World Wildlife Federation places the Panda on its logo. The Panda is chosen as a powerful symbol and is one of the rarest and most endangered bears in the world.

1984

Pandas placed on Endangered Species list by US

Native to China, these bears are beloved by people all over the world, but their low reproductive rate makes them vulnerable to threats and even the possibility of extinction. Placing them as endangered is meant to protect Pandas.

2006

Panda reserves in China grow

Over just the eight years prior, the number of Panda reserves in China grows from 13 to 40. This significantly impacts the ability for Pandas to survive in their natural habitat and improves their chances greatly.

2016

Pandas move to ‘vulnerable’ status

The great news about the work toward helping Pandas is that it is working! Pandas are downgraded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with more than 1800 pandas living in the wild.

Why pandas need our protection

Pandas are sensitive creatures and disruptions to their environment (a mere six mountain ranges in south-central China) can lead to survival and reproductive issues.

These cuddly little tumblers are well-known for their prodigious appetites, consuming massive amounts of bamboo each day. Although they evolved to eat meat, these bears are by and large vegetarian and therefore have to eat vast quantities of foliage to obtain sufficient energy and nutrients.

They are also notoriously bad at reproducing, with female pandas fertile for no more than two to three days a year. Little success has been had in captivity, although things have been improving in recent years. Still, they aren’t prone to giving birth very often, and this means that any loss to their numbers is potentially tragic.

Man-made threats such as farming and road building only exacerbate these vulnerabilities, shrinking and fragmenting the habitat on which pandas depend. Climate change is also causing bamboo to grow higher up the mountains, steadily reducing the amount available overall. Not only will pandas increasingly struggle to feed themselves, but habitat loss will also make it harder for them to find mates and reproduce.

And it’s not just important to preserve the panda population for their own sake. They’re also vital for maintaining the ecosystem around them, helping forest vegetation to flourish and in turn other species in the area.

How to Celebrate National Panda Day

Well, obviously your first stop should be the zoo! Due to their low numbers, there aren’t a whole lot of zoos that have giant panda exhibits, but hopefully, you’ll be able to find one relatively close to home. If you are lucky enough to be near one, then this will be a great opportunity to learn more about these cuddly bears and contribute to vital conservation efforts. And if the stars align you might even get to see some adorable and rare panda cubs!

If conservation is a cause close to your heart, then take some time to make a donation to a charity, zoo, or nature reserve that supports this important work. You can even adopt one of these cute creatures through organizations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which famously features a panda as its logo.

Be sure to look into getting some panda souvenirs such as cuddly toys, artwork and accessories, especially if a percentage of the profits go towards protecting the panda. You can also buy panda-themed items for your desk or wear panda-themed clothes to really help spread awareness of this fragile species.

If you fancy channeling your inner panda and conserving your energy, then why not crash out on the sofa and watch a documentary or film about these amazing animals? Dreamwork’s Kung Fu Panda franchise is especially popular, with three feature films, various shorts, and a TV series following the adventures of Po Ping, a typically clumsy giant panda who eventually blossoms into a kung fu master. There are also plenty of great documentaries available, such as Born in China and Pandas,for you to brush up on your panda facts.

Learn some Panda facts

Get swept up in pandamania and help make sure they’re munching on bamboo for many more years to come!

National Panda Day FAQs

Are Pandas endangered?

While Pandas were recently considered to be endangered, the effort to help them has been effective and they were downgraded from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ in 2016. The hope is that one day they can be removed from the list completely.

When is National Panda Day?

Every year, National Panda Day falls on March 16, celebrating the world’s favorite black and white, fluffy, bamboo-eating bear.

Are Pandas dangerous?

Although they rarely attack humans, Giant Pandas should still be considered dangerous. They have powerful teeth and claws, certainly making them capable of attacking if they feel threatened.

Are Pandas bears?

Some people aren’t sure if Pandas are really bears because they look different. As it turns out, Giant Pandas are actually categorized in the bear family, but Red Pandas are the only members of their family but are closely related to raccoons.

Do Pandas hibernate?

Though Giant Pandas are in the bear family, they do not hibernate like black bears do, and they also cannot stand up on their hind legs.

Source

[everythingenchantingblog]

Giant hugs for our giant fluffballs! This 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚 𝐃𝐚𝐲, let’s appreciate these gentle giants and support efforts to protect their habitats. Who else finds their panda-like snack habits totally relatable?

📍 Macao Giant Panda Pavilion

[arthistoryanimalia]

For #NationalPandaDay:

Andy Warhol (USA, 1928 - 1987)

Giant #Panda, from the Endangered Species Series, 1983 (FS II.295)

Screenprint in colors on Lenox Museum Board, Ed. of 150

38 in x 38 in (96.5 x 96.5 cm)

[heavenboy09]

March 16 is National Panda Day 🐼! The day is dedicated to raising awareness about these bamboo-loving creatures! World Wildlife says despite their exalted status and relative lack of natural predators, pandas are considered vulnerable

Every year on March 16, we celebrate the fluffiest, bamboo-munching bears 🐼 that are a source of national pride for China. That's why it is important to protect the panda and its environment. ... One factor contributing to their endangered status is the low birth rate for pandas.

Save The Pandas 🐼 and Be Good To Our Fluffy Bear Creatures Of China 🇨🇳

#NationalPandaDay #Pandas #KungFuPanda

[atomicballooncompany]

Here are some cute panda balloons for #nationalpandaday! 🐼

#anyreasontosmile #balloonanimals #lasvegasballoonartist

www.atomicballoons.com

#lasvegaslocals #Champion #balloonartist #vegaslocalbusiness #lasvegasballoons #vegas #balloondelivery #birthdayballoons #pandabear

[jamieroxxartist]

Ha! Happy #NationalPandaDay!

[melachanart]

National Panda Day !

C'est National Panda Day aujourd'hui ! Enfin pas en France je crois, mais ça reste un Panda Day !

Donc voilà une petite dose de Pandicorne ~ <3

(je le préfère nettement avec sa crinière arc-en-ciel (;<w<)

Art (c) @melachanart​

[karonf]

Happy #NationalPandaDay. Tian Tian wants you to know one of the top panda pages @smithsonianzoo is the Giant Panda Mucous Stool FAQ. (at Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp30Lr7NMc-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[rogue-taxidermy-of-sarina-brewer]

Today, March 16th, is National Panda Day. It fell on a Thursday this year so to celebrate here is a #TBT taxidermy piece of mine from 12 years ago. Private collection of Mark G. Parker, former CEO of NIKE inc.


TITLE: “PANDA-SQUIRREL” (Sciurus melanoleuca) MATERIALS: tanned squirrel hides over clay and carved urethane foam DATE OF CREATION: 2011



I have worked exclusively with humanely sourced animals throughout my 30-year art career because the philosophical foundation of my work dictates no animal should die for art. This particular taxidermy sculpture was constructed out of 3 roadkill squirrels – one albino and 2 melanistic. Each one was severely damaged so I salvaged what good parts remained and patched them together to create this piece. The concept was inspired by a “WANTED” ad I saw in the back of a 1980’s pet magazine that was offering a $10,000 reward to the first person who could breed a hamster with panda markings.

#FunFact ~ The pet industry has since developed what is marketed as a “panda hamster”, however, the only thing it has in common with a real panda’s markings is that both are black and white. Instead, panda hamsters have a coat similar to the #HoodedRat, another black and white breed of domesticated rodent.

. . .


Sculptural concept copyrighted and protected under federal registration number VA-1-929-958 & VAu 1-162-922. Derivative works prohibited under U.S. intellectual property law. 


[usnatarchives]

Nixon: “The problem . . . with pandas is that they don’t know how to mate."

Top graphic online here; National Archives gif online here.

Nixon: "This question of mating is very interesting..."

One of the gifted pandas at DC's National Zoo, 4/20/1972, NARA ID 66394284

For #NationalPandaDay - PANDA SEX!

By Miriam Kleiman, Public Affairs

In honor of #NationalPandaDay, we thank President Richard Nixon* and share excerpts from his chat -- with a reporter -- on panda mating habits! (Washington Star’s foreign editor Crosby Noyes). Read the full conversation of 3/13/1972, listen to the audio tape.

*Nixon's historic 1972 trip to China led to the BEST GIFT EVER - the two adorable furry goodwill ambassadors Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing. But their U.S. arrival was delayed so the pandas could learn Sex Ed.

Nixon: Now, as a matter of fact, let me tell you an interesting thing about—that you must know, you can only use on your own if you want, but not on comment. I was just talking to [White House Chief of Staff] Bob Haldeman who talked to his Chinese hosts, and this question of mating is very interesting. These are—This is a male and a female.

Noyes: Uh-huh.

Nixon: The problem with, uh—The problem, however, with pandas is that they don’t know how to mate. The only way they learn how is to watch other pandas mate. You see?

Noyes: [laughs]

Nixon: And, so they’re keeping them there a little while—these are younger ones—

Noyes: I see.

Nixon: —to sort of learn, you know, how it’s done.

Noyes: Sure, learn the ropes—

Nixon: Now, if they don’t learn it they’ll get over here and nothing will happen, so I just thought you should just have your best reporter out there to see whether these pandas—

Noyes: Well, we certainly will—

Nixon: —have learned. So, now that I’ve given you the story of pandas let me let you get back to your more serious questions.

More online:

Washington Post, Here is a clip of Richard Nixon discussing panda sex

Douglas Brinkley and Luke A. Nichter, The Nixon Tapes: 1971-1972.

National Archives YouTube, First Lady Pat Nixon welcomes pandas to the National Zoo

Nixon Library, tape excerpts re: Nixon's trip to China.

National Archives DocsTeach: Nixon Visits China: The Week that Changed the World.

[samandcopets]

Every year on March 16, we honor the fluffiest, bamboo-eating bears that are a source of Chinese national pride. Giant pandas can only be found in the wild in China's remote mountainous regions.

[rabbitcruiser]

National Panda Day

Nature's cuddly ambassadors, with a diet that's 99% bamboo and an unmistakable appearance that's sure to melt your heart.

Giant pandas are big fluffy balls of fun and one of the most universally loved animals around, so it’s no wonder they have their own special day!

Yet due to habitat loss and fragmentation, pandas are sadly considered to be a vulnerable species and require dedicated conservation to preserve their numbers. National Panda Day is dedicated to celebrating these quirky creatures and spreading awareness of the threats they face in order to encourage efforts to protect them.

History of National Panda Day

The panda has been around for almost 20 million years and is the oldest living species of bear. Yes, that’s right, any rumors you’ve heard to the contrary about them not being bears is false – they are in fact part of the Ursidae (bear) family, although they do also have a fair amount in common with raccoons.

While pandas have long been respected in their native China, their shy and solitary nature means they feature rarely in Chinese history and art – the likelihood of coming across one bear, let alone an embarrassment of pandas (the excellent collective noun for these animals!), has always been slim. Yet with their clumsy and lovable character, they’re incredibly popular, so much so that back in the 1980s a Taiwanese zoo even painted a sun bear black and white to try and pass it off as a giant panda!

National Panda Day grew out of the need to help protect these beautiful bears, as sadly these big guys require conservation efforts to even have a chance at recovering from their current depleted state. With no more than 2-3,000 left in the wild and only a few hundred in captivity, we risk losing these precious mammals forever if we don’t act.

National Panda Day aims to promote efforts to preserve their habitat from threats such as urbanization and climate change and to support their protection all around the world. Ultimately it’s a day of hope, as panda numbers are gradually starting to increase again thanks to decades of conservation work, with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) downgrading the species from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ in 2016.

If we all work together, we can continue these amazing advancements and ensure that the panda is safe and thriving, now and in the future.

National Panda Day Timeline

1869

Westerners first learn of Pandas

When a French missionary visits China, he is gifted with a skin from one of these fuzzy black and white bears.

1961

Giant Panda on WWF Logo

In an effort to promote the most vulnerable species, the World Wildlife Federation places the Panda on its logo. The Panda is chosen as a powerful symbol and is one of the rarest and most endangered bears in the world.

1984

Pandas placed on Endangered Species list by US

Native to China, these bears are beloved by people all over the world, but their low reproductive rate makes them vulnerable to threats and even the possibility of extinction. Placing them as endangered is meant to protect Pandas.

2006

Panda reserves in China grow

Over just the eight years prior, the number of Panda reserves in China grows from 13 to 40. This significantly impacts the ability for Pandas to survive in their natural habitat and improves their chances greatly.

2016

Pandas move to ‘vulnerable’ status

The great news about the work toward helping Pandas is that it is working! Pandas are downgraded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with more than 1800 pandas living in the wild.

Why pandas need our protection

Pandas are sensitive creatures and disruptions to their environment (a mere six mountain ranges in south-central China) can lead to survival and reproductive issues.

These cuddly little tumblers are well-known for their prodigious appetites, consuming massive amounts of bamboo each day. Although they evolved to eat meat, these bears are by and large vegetarian and therefore have to eat vast quantities of foliage to obtain sufficient energy and nutrients.

They are also notoriously bad at reproducing, with female pandas fertile for no more than two to three days a year. Little success has been had in captivity, although things have been improving in recent years. Still, they aren’t prone to giving birth very often, and this means that any loss to their numbers is potentially tragic.

Man-made threats such as farming and road building only exacerbate these vulnerabilities, shrinking and fragmenting the habitat on which pandas depend. Climate change is also causing bamboo to grow higher up the mountains, steadily reducing the amount available overall. Not only will pandas increasingly struggle to feed themselves, but habitat loss will also make it harder for them to find mates and reproduce.

And it’s not just important to preserve the panda population for their own sake. They’re also vital for maintaining the ecosystem around them, helping forest vegetation to flourish and in turn other species in the area.

How to Celebrate National Panda Day

Well, obviously your first stop should be the zoo! Due to their low numbers, there aren’t a whole lot of zoos that have giant panda exhibits, but hopefully, you’ll be able to find one relatively close to home. If you are lucky enough to be near one, then this will be a great opportunity to learn more about these cuddly bears and contribute to vital conservation efforts. And if the stars align you might even get to see some adorable and rare panda cubs!

If conservation is a cause close to your heart, then take some time to make a donation to a charity, zoo, or nature reserve that supports this important work. You can even adopt one of these cute creatures through organizations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which famously features a panda as its logo.

Be sure to look into getting some panda souvenirs such as cuddly toys, artwork and accessories, especially if a percentage of the profits go towards protecting the panda. You can also buy panda-themed items for your desk or wear panda-themed clothes to really help spread awareness of this fragile species.

If you fancy channeling your inner panda and conserving your energy, then why not crash out on the sofa and watch a documentary or film about these amazing animals? Dreamwork’s Kung Fu Panda franchise is especially popular, with three feature films, various shorts, and a TV series following the adventures of Po Ping, a typically clumsy giant panda who eventually blossoms into a kung fu master. There are also plenty of great documentaries available, such as Born in China and Pandas,for you to brush up on your panda facts.

Learn some Panda facts

Get swept up in pandamania and help make sure they’re munching on bamboo for many more years to come!

National Panda Day FAQs

Are Pandas endangered?

While Pandas were recently considered to be endangered, the effort to help them has been effective and they were downgraded from ‘endangered’ to ‘vulnerable’ in 2016. The hope is that one day they can be removed from the list completely.

When is National Panda Day?

Every year, National Panda Day falls on March 16, celebrating the world’s favorite black and white, fluffy, bamboo-eating bear.

Are Pandas dangerous?

Although they rarely attack humans, Giant Pandas should still be considered dangerous. They have powerful teeth and claws, certainly making them capable of attacking if they feel threatened.

Are Pandas bears?

Some people aren’t sure if Pandas are really bears because they look different. As it turns out, Giant Pandas are actually categorized in the bear family, but Red Pandas are the only members of their family but are closely related to raccoons.

Do Pandas hibernate?

Though Giant Pandas are in the bear family, they do not hibernate like black bears do, and they also cannot stand up on their hind legs.

Source

[arthistoryanimalia]

For #NationalPandaDay:

Earliest published European image of the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), based on the first skin sent to Europe, acquired by French missionary Armand David in China in 1869 and sent to Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris.

Plate 50 in H. Milne-Edwards’ Recherches pour servir à l'histoire naturelle des mammifères (Paris, 1868-1874). BHL.

[justadddwater]

Morning energy drink cheers and inside jokes 💕✨💜 #nationalmelbatoastday #melbatoast #melbaandkelba #melandkelshow #nationalgoofoffday #nationalpandaday #nationalawkwardmomentsday #plantaflowerday #mar10day #randomholidays #planetfitness #energydrinkcheers #photodump (at Planet Fitness) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMyBh4wFDTq/?igshid=bxnbox45rb1x

[pjrobesq]

I’m in the office and it’s #nationalpandaday and on this day, especially, a.k.a. #pandamonium !!! (at Bethesda, Maryland) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9zFqF2p-Cuy9ueDqo6V2ePLJn5hV3dtffH3Xg0/?igshid=m7huyasafstm

[factretriever]

Happy National Panda Day! In a crazy world, at least we still have pandas 🐼💕 #nationalpandaday https://www.instagram.com/p/B9zmapUgZ0V/?igshid=mxumg3swb8kl