Pandas

[Willy Nilly]

Just watching the programme about pandas.

They seem genetically programmed to die out. They are IIRC carnivores but only eat a very fibrous grass and flatly refuse to breed.

Why do we bother trying to preserve them?

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

If you need to ask the question you won't understand the answer.

[SystemParanoia]

they make great hats

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

...and they ain't carnivores

[0a]

I'm in agreement with the OP, Pandas are rubbish at living. Replace with little Chinamen in costumes.

[Willy Nilly]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

If you need to ask the question you won't understand the answer.

so go on then, enlighten me. A species that has grown too specialist, that only lives on on plant and won't breed is becoming endangered. Why not let it die out?

[Willy Nilly]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

...and they ain't carnivores

Despite its taxonomic classification as a carnivoran, the giant panda's diet is primarily herbivorous, consisting almost exclusively of bamboo. said wiki

[jaybirduk]

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

If you need to ask the question you won't understand the answer.

Try me

[bexVN]

Willy Nilly said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

If you need to ask the question you won't understand the answer.

so go on then, enlighten me. A species that has grown too specialist, that only lives on on plant and won't breed is becoming endangered. Why not let it die out?

Soppy answer, because they're cute to look at .

For some reason it's one of the few creatures China hold in high regard and don't try to wipe out or cruelly treat for their medicines (as far as I know) and they know how to be utterly horrific to animals normally. For this reason alone they should be saved!

Edited by bexVN on Saturday 11th February 13:18

[Simpo Two]

0a said:

I'm in agreement with the OP, Pandas are rubbish at living. Replace with little Chinamen in costumes.

They have been. Pandas died out ages ago but the Chinese like to keep the illusion going. That's why they eat bamboo shoots.

[0a]

jaybirduk said:

2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:

If you need to ask the question you won't understand the answer.

Try me

On a serious note I'd also like to know why this is the case. The same amount of money spent messing about with pointless pandas could be put to use saving hundreds of less 'sexy' species, exploring and preserving rainforest, exploring the seas where thousands of species remain undiscovered and so on.

[C3BER]

Makes a good logo for WWF

[C3BER]

http://www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/safeguarding_the_...

[dhf]

Willy Nilly said:

so go on then, enlighten me. A species that has grown too specialist, that only lives on on plant and won't breed is becoming endangered. Why not let it die out?

A bit like the Irish and the Potato in the 1850's ?! well the first bit is correct,the later wasn't.

[jaybirduk]

Chris Packham: 'Giant pandas should be allowed to die out


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6216775/...

[Turn7]

Simpo Two said:

0a said:

I'm in agreement with the OP, Pandas are rubbish at living. Replace with little Chinamen in costumes.

They have been. Pandas died out ages ago but the Chinese like to keep the illusion going. That's why they eat bamboo shoots.

Who, the chinese ?

[bexVN]

jaybirduk said:

Chris Packham: 'Giant pandas should be allowed to die out


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6216775/...

He has a point.
COnservation breeding with the idea of releasing back into the wild is actually rare and a story many zoos use to justify the huge amounts of money they spend on captive breeding programs

The only way to save vulnerable species is to protect the environments they live in.

A few years ago London Zoo spent over 5 million on a gorilla enclosure to house a couple of silverbacks, that money could be much better spent on protecting families of silverbacks in their own environment.

And when they do breed they usually just move the oyung onto other zoos, they never get released.

[Simpo Two]

Turn7 said:

Simpo Two said:

0a said:

I'm in agreement with the OP, Pandas are rubbish at living. Replace with little Chinamen in costumes.

They have been. Pandas died out ages ago but the Chinese like to keep the illusion going. That's why they eat bamboo shoots.

Who, the chinese ?

The inference was that the pandas are actually Chinamen in panda suits...

[0a]

Simpo Two said:

Turn7 said:

Simpo Two said:

0a said:

I'm in agreement with the OP, Pandas are rubbish at living. Replace with little Chinamen in costumes.

They have been. Pandas died out ages ago but the Chinese like to keep the illusion going. That's why they eat bamboo shoots.

Who, the chinese ?

The inference was that the pandas are actually Chinamen in panda suits...

I think his was that Chinamen eat bamboo shoots... anyway.

I was looking for some data to back up my idea that a large proportion of medicines are derived from rainforest plants and animals in order to make a point about spending to save the rainforest, but I got bored in a green fuzz.

[Simpo Two]

0a said:

I think his was that Chinamen eat bamboo shoots... anyway.

Yes, because they are in the panda suits which is why pandas don't exhibit the dietary preferences one might expect from a carnivoriously-dentured quadruped, because there are people inside, which is why... doh.