ZOO

I’m living in DC this summer—the “capital of the world”, as Senator John Glenn has called it—and what is one of the first things I do? Visit the National Zoo, of course! While my enthusiasm seems misappropriated, as most would argue there are far better DC-type activities to do and historical features to see in this town, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is one of only seven zoos in North America to house Giant Pandas. The pair, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, was everything you’d expect to see in a Giant Panda—fat, cute, and totally unaware of the thirty screaming children banging on the glass of their indoor enclosure.

The hour-or-longer wait in line to see the pandas (which, luckily, I was able to avoid) was testament to their allure. What is it about this species that makes people of all ages, ethnicities and regions want to wait patiently in the heat for the chance to catch a glimpse of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian in their “natural habitat”? I can assure you it isn’t their cunning ability to sit in a corner all day and chew bamboo, occasionally getting up to—OMG—find more bamboo. There has to be more to it.

A part of me believes the demand for pandas is so high because the supply is so limited, as they are now considered extremely endangered. Basic economics which, when applied to something living, seems perverse. Zoos across the United States and around the world have been clamoring to negotiate contracts with China to “rent” panda couples. Don Lindburg, Head of the Office of Giant Pandas at the San Diego Zoo explains, “Giant pandas are indisputably popular. Two months ago, the public snapped up 13,000 tickets to see Tai Shan, born at the National Zoo in Washington last July, in just two hours. Later that day the free tickets were being traded on eBay for as much as $200 each…People will get up in the middle of the night to see the pandas. I don't think there is a comparable animal. There isn't the enormity of response that you find with pandas” (New York Times, 2006).

Are they really so cute that everyone in the world wants to see them ASAP, or are we all making sure we sneak a peek before they’re wiped from existence? See for yourself:

http://www.lovethesepics.com/2012/04/buckets-of-cute-pandas-at-sichuan-giant-panda-sanctuaries-42-photos/


FUN FACT: Coincidentally, the acronym for the office in which I work is OPANDA. Haha!


--CB