"Lesser Panda" what kind of a name is that?

[underpants]

Futa, a lesser panda, is proving a hit at a zoo near Tokyo as it can stand on two legs like a human being for about 10 seconds, an unusual feat for the species, zoo officials said.(Chiba Zoological Park)

[Arugula Latte]

1. I think the name refers to the panda's size (or lack of it)

lesser as in "smaller" than the giant pandas.

[Pirate Smile]

2. That sucks! I've heard of Red Panda's but not Lesser Pandas.

Talk about getting stuck with a shitty name.

edit to add - OK, the Lesser Panda is the Red Panda

Red panda, lesser panda
Ailurus fulgens
Red pandas look more like raccoons than their closest relative - the giant panda. They are secretive and gentle creatures, spending most of the day sleeping curled up with their tail wrapped around their head.




http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/6.shtml

[SeveneightyWhoa]

3. Contact PETA!

"Lesser panda"? This verbal abuse is clearly not very ethical treatment of animals! The authorities need to be contacted, stat!

[Pacifist Patriot]

4. First thought, "Damn, that looks like a costume."

[Theres-a]

5. I don't know,but here's a lesser goldfinch

[jswordy]

6. OK, get the little person out of the Halloween suit! Geez. n/t

[underpants]

10. See post #4-you are not the only one

I thought that too

[jswordy]

11. Great minds! And the suit isn't even that well done! LOL.

[jswordy]

12. YOU CAN SEE THE ZIPPER IN FRONT! LOLOLOL!

(Uh, that LOL is laughter...just cuz some don't seem to know. Heh.)

[GOPisEvil]

7. That looks like two animals grafted together.

It's the Island of Dr. Moreau, but cuter.

[Spider Jerusalem]

9. Not to go on all fours; that is the Law. Are we not men?

[Zuni]

8. I am sure it is probably vicious and will claw me until I bleed to death

but I sure want to give that thing a hug

[Shell Beau]

13. It looks like a raccoon on a monkey body.

:shrug:

[Arugula Latte]

14. I made a papier mache raccoon-head mask in third grade

Wore it for Halloween. I think I looked a lot like this.

[Shell Beau]

15. So you were really a lesser panda and you

thought you were a raccoon!! :crazy:

[Arugula Latte]

16. Why didn't anybody tell me?

Now I'll have to go to therapy for this ... :cry:

[Jara sang]

17. Agghhhhhhh! Make it stop!

I'm scared! Mommy?:scared:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

18. The last I heard, when I visited the pandas at the National Zoo...

"Lesser" or "red" pandas are the only known true pandas.

The big fluffy black and white critters that everybody calls "giant pandas" are in fact not pandas at all, and really are bears. Years before this I was taught that giant pandas and lesser pandas were not at all related to bears, but were distant cousins to raccoons.

Who knows what they'll say in a year or so...