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Tags: Zoos / Animals / Pandas / Elephants / Thailand Travel / → All Tags
All of Thailand Is Mad for Pandas, and the Elephants are Hopping Mad
The very happy nation of Thailand joined the panda-monium craze this week as the Chiang Mai Zoo in Bangkok introduced the country’s first every baby panda. After six years of feverish attempts to mate their two adult pandas, including a mock wedding and widely circulated “panda porns” of the pair attempting to reproduce, the country finally became just the fourth in the world to ever breed a panda cub in captivity.
Eager Thais finally got to see the six-week-old cub this week, and the cuddly critter has proved so popular that there were more than 500,000 entries in a contest to name it, and the zoo is building a pricey new snow house for the happy new family.
But not everyone is psyched about the panda craze. Zookeepers in the elephant kraal have grown incensed that no one is stopping by to see their pachyderms—Thailand’s national animal—and in protest this week they took to watercolors and painted the elephants in panda garb. Hilarious, until Peta hears about it. Maybe they’d have more luck if they made some elephant porn?
Related Stories:
· Will this stop the pandamonium? [Daily Mail]
· Thai zoo's 1st baby panda goes on display [AP]
· How To Cuddle a Baby Panda [Jaunted]
[Photo: Reuters]
Tags: Pandas / China / Bad Souvenir Travel / → All Tags
Beijing, Your Souvenirs Are Crap... Literally
It's no secret that here at Jaunted we love pandas. From adorable babies, they become cute nibbling adults and charmingly creepy mascots. So we may or may not have coughed up for panda pencils, folders or stuffed animals in our happy traveling lives. China's Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base decided to offer a new kind of souvenir, that we don't think we'll pick up. In fact, we think it's worth "dropping."
That's right: The base, which currently holds over 40 of the endangered mammals, is planning to sell bookmarks, sculptures and other knicknacks made of panda poop. The excrement is allegedly treated so that it doesn't smell, as well as painted so it doesn't look like dung, but it still seems like a "waste" of a gimmick. What do you think?
Related Stories:
· Beijing Hotels [HotelChatter]
· Beijing Travel Stories [Jaunted]
[Photo: carter_hawley]
Tags: Animals / China / Pandas / Petting Zoos / → All Tags
How To Cuddle a Baby Panda
Along with cuddly creatures like koalas and possums, pandas are way up there on the spectrum of cuteness. Especially baby pandas. And now we've found out where we can go to join a playground full of baby pandas.
We almost don't want to tell you, but since it's not exactly around the corner from anywhere, we trust you won't all stampede in droves. Budget Travel just tipped us off that you can get access to panda bubs in China's Wolong Nature Reserve, five hours from Chengdu, which is about a $500 flight from major Chinese cities. For $130 per person, you can enter the panda day care center, currently home to 16 panda toddlers, and play with them. You only get five minutes, but we're talking cute and cuddly baby pandas. We'd pay at least double.
Related Stories:
· Cutest. Story. Ever [Budget Travel]
· Finnair's Creepy Panda [Jaunted]
[Photo: muzikid]
