Everybody recognizes the giant panda, with its round shape, black and white fur, and black patches around its eyes. Its image appears on signs and labels that identify many endangered species, both plants and animals, and it is itself a protected species. This bear is native to central-western and southwestern China, and the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries, located in the southwest Sichuan province, are one of the few natural habitats to be protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
This is Lantern #11 entitled Panda's Paradise. You could tell which bamboo is real and which is part of the display of the lantern. I saw the real panda at the Bronx Zoo when my godmother took me there during a visit to her home on Pelham Parkway. That was almost 25 years when I lived in NYC. The 2nd time I saw the panda was last November (2011) when I visited my sister in Atlanta. My husband never saw a panda. When we went to Memphis last May (2011), we planned to go to Memphis Zoo (they have panda there) but could not fit into our schedule. On our recent trip, it was too hot so we did not feel like going to Atlanta Zoo. Seeing the lantern would be the closest my husband ever come to see the real panda! Do you have panda at the zoo in your town?
Just a reminder again that the last day of the Lantern Festival is this Sunday, August 19th. All the exhibits will be taken down and sent back to China. However, the dragon at the front entrance will be on display until the Japanese Festival on Labor Day Weekend.
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