Search Results for: blog the amazing panda adventure 1995

China Protects Pandas Against Swine Flu

We have evidence here in the United States that both cats and ferrets can catch swine flu (H1N1) from humans. Officials in China are concerned that pandas may also be susceptible to the disease. A panda research center has been closed to visitors in hopes of protecting the endangered pandas from swine flu. The Shaanxi Wild Animal Rescue and Research Center started seeing increased numbers of swine flu cases and flu symptoms in general after the weather turned cold and snowy in November. Now they’ve put a halt on recruiting new volunteers and are not allowing staff members with flu-like … Continue reading →

Giant Panda Ling Ling Passes Away

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The fifth-oldest male panda in the world passed away at the end of April. Ling Ling was Japan’s oldest giant panda. He was born at China’s Beijing Zoo in 1985 and was given to Japan as a symbol of friendship in 1992. Ling Ling was a star attraction at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo for more than fifteen years. This is the first time in a long time that Ueno Zoo has not had a giant panda in residence — Ling Ling’s predecessors arrived from China to commemorate the signing of a peace treaty between China and Japan in 1972. The Ueno … Continue reading →

Teaching Survival Skills to Pandas

Less than a year ago, China released a five year old panda into the wild. Why is this news? He was the world’s first artificially bred panda to be released. Unfortunately, Xiang Xiang didn’t survive. Scientists believe the panda fell from a height after a fight with wild animals (possibly other pandas) over food or territory. This is a terrible loss for the Wolong giant panda breeding center. But the loss of Xiang Xiang is inspiring scientists to work on better preparing future pandas for life in the wild. China has been making a serious effort to save the giant … Continue reading →

The Amazing Panda Adventure (1995)

Ryan Tyler’s parents are divorced. He lives with his mom and hasn’t seen his dad in two years, since his dad moved to China to help build and run a panda reserve. When his dad sends a ticket for Ryan to come visit, Ryan’s not really sure he wants to go. His dad has been so involved in his work, he’s missed a lot of important occasions in Ryan’s life and Ryan feels like his dad cares more about the pandas than about his own kid. Finally deciding to go only after his mother says he can come right home … Continue reading →

April and the Dragon Lady – Lensey Namioka

It’s Literacy Month! But it’s always Literacy Month at the Pinkston house – we’re all obsessed with books, even my two-year-old. One of my favorite library finds this last week was young adult novel “April and the Dragon Lady,” by author Lensey Namioka. April is the teenaged daughter of Chinese American parents. She lives with her father, her brother, and her aging grandmother, her own mother having passed away some years before. Because April is the daughter, traditionally the care of the house and of her grandmother falls to her, and she doesn’t think to question it. Her brother, Harry, … Continue reading →