9781422276402

more than 1,000 pandas still in existence. Most of these remaining bears roam the bamboo forests of western and southwest- ern China, and about 100 are in captivity, mainly in their native China. Only nine live in zoos outside China, and only one of those lives in the United States—a male named Hsing-Hsing, at the National Zoo in Wash- ington, D.C. Why then does a picture or any other image of a panda evoke a smile on people’s faces? What is it about this isolated, unobtrusive, apparently content animal that brings out such joy in people?

Like any “teddy bear, “ it displays many of the same qualities of the human baby—those that nature has provided to bring out mater- nal and paternal instincts: a large head, which sometimes appears as though it will at any moment wobble off its base; a flat face, in comparison to that of most animals of the world, which gives it a more human look; the appearance of large, wide eyes, which sug- gest a childlike quality; and a rounded body outline, a feature of most mammals, which are generally more appealing to humans than other animals such as reptiles.

The unaggressive giant panda is usually pictured lying on a branch or slouching against a cage or tree, looking as though it has just woken from a nap or is digesting a large meal.

The giant panda’s black-and-white coloring is certainly distinctive and seems to have a special appeal to humans both young and old.

4