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The records about the Giant Panda,written in the early Western Zhou Dynasty in the Book of History and the Book of Songs go back as early as 3,000 years ago. For centuries the Giant Panda skin was a rare tribute presented to the emperors.
The existence of the Giant Panda was first made known to the western world was in 1869 by a French missionary and naturalist named Armand Pare David. His experience as biologist told him, at first sight of the black and white pelt, that this animal should be a new species. So he sent the sample to Melne Edwards, the director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris, France. After careful examination of its fur and skeleton, Edwards proclaimed, in a paper published in 1870, that was indeed a new species, and he named it Ailuropoda. In honor of David for his discovery of this new species, Edwards designated Ailuropod, melonoleruca David as its scientific name, by which it is still known today. The first sample, obtained by Armand Pare David in Baoxing County, Sichuan Province is still kept at the Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.
The first person who brought a living Giant Panda out of China was an American clothing designer Ruth Harkness, In 1936. Her husband, William Harkness, was a zoologist and explorer. Shortly after their marriage, they came to China with the hope of finding the Giant Panda. But unfortunately, William Harkness died of illness in Shanghai on the way to their destination. In order to fulfill her husband's wish, Mrs. Harness went to Wenchuan County, Sichuan province, with two American born Chinese as her guides and interpreters. When they came to Baoxing County, where Armand Pare David had discovered the Giant Panda, they began their intensive search for the elusive creature. Finally, in the bamboo groves at the foot of the Jiajing Mountain, they discovered a panda cub, which was about 30 days old and weighed less than two pounds. Ruth was wild with joy and cared for it as if it were a baby. She also grave her a beautiful name, "Su Lin". With the help of her friends, she successfully passed through Customs with the cub in a bamboo basket, for a bribe of only two dollars and boarded the President Mckinley. The little panda was registered as a puppy. Su Lin was put on display at the Chicago Zoo in the spring of 1937, and became a superstar overnight, with more than 40,000 visitors a day.
Ruth Harkness She then brought another giant panda, Mei-Mei, to mate with Su-Lin in 1938 but was removed immediately as the mating was unsuccessful. Su-Lin lived at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo and was a celebrity until she died later that same year. Su-Lin was put on display at the Chicago Natural History Museum after she died.
In 1941, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek sent Pan-Dee and Pan-Dah to the Bronx Zoo in New York as a gift to the American people.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in October 1949, the Giant Panda became a most treasured political gift of friendship. Since 1983 China no longer gives it as a gift to other countries, but the Giant Panda still has opportunities to go abroad to attend activities such as Olympic ceremonies or joint scientific research displays, which makes of even more valuable. The Giant Panda is the animal much sought after by the zoos around the world, yet it is one of the most difficult to abtain.
Ginat panda more info
The existence of the Giant Panda was first made known to the western world was in 1869 by a French missionary and naturalist named Armand Pare David. His experience as biologist told him, at first sight of the black and white pelt, that this animal should be a new species. So he sent the sample to Melne Edwards, the director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris, France. After careful examination of its fur and skeleton, Edwards proclaimed, in a paper published in 1870, that was indeed a new species, and he named it Ailuropoda. In honor of David for his discovery of this new species, Edwards designated Ailuropod, melonoleruca David as its scientific name, by which it is still known today. The first sample, obtained by Armand Pare David in Baoxing County, Sichuan Province is still kept at the Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.
The first person who brought a living Giant Panda out of China was an American clothing designer Ruth Harkness, In 1936. Her husband, William Harkness, was a zoologist and explorer. Shortly after their marriage, they came to China with the hope of finding the Giant Panda. But unfortunately, William Harkness died of illness in Shanghai on the way to their destination. In order to fulfill her husband's wish, Mrs. Harness went to Wenchuan County, Sichuan province, with two American born Chinese as her guides and interpreters. When they came to Baoxing County, where Armand Pare David had discovered the Giant Panda, they began their intensive search for the elusive creature. Finally, in the bamboo groves at the foot of the Jiajing Mountain, they discovered a panda cub, which was about 30 days old and weighed less than two pounds. Ruth was wild with joy and cared for it as if it were a baby. She also grave her a beautiful name, "Su Lin". With the help of her friends, she successfully passed through Customs with the cub in a bamboo basket, for a bribe of only two dollars and boarded the President Mckinley. The little panda was registered as a puppy. Su Lin was put on display at the Chicago Zoo in the spring of 1937, and became a superstar overnight, with more than 40,000 visitors a day.
Ruth Harkness She then brought another giant panda, Mei-Mei, to mate with Su-Lin in 1938 but was removed immediately as the mating was unsuccessful. Su-Lin lived at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo and was a celebrity until she died later that same year. Su-Lin was put on display at the Chicago Natural History Museum after she died.
In 1941, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek sent Pan-Dee and Pan-Dah to the Bronx Zoo in New York as a gift to the American people.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China in October 1949, the Giant Panda became a most treasured political gift of friendship. Since 1983 China no longer gives it as a gift to other countries, but the Giant Panda still has opportunities to go abroad to attend activities such as Olympic ceremonies or joint scientific research displays, which makes of even more valuable. The Giant Panda is the animal much sought after by the zoos around the world, yet it is one of the most difficult to abtain.
Ginat panda more info