National treasure giant panda, presumably everyone is no stranger. Cute and cute, round, furry, and a pair of dark circles. People can't help but sigh, how can there be such a cute creature in the world?
Since ancient times, it has been a unique creature on the mainland, so its cute appearance and gentle temperament have been coveted by many countries.
As early as 1936, there were Americans who came to steal the giant panda, and finally let her succeed, how did it happen?
In 1936, Bill, a well-known American zoologist, traveled thousands of miles to China to look for giant pandas.
However, when he was in Shanghai, he died of esophageal cancer. He died before he could get out of the school, and that was him! His new wife, Ruth Harknes, was devastated and immersed in the beauty of what had been.
One day, she suddenly perked up and had the idea of finding a giant panda and fulfilling her husband's last wish.
Together, this idea can no longer be pressed. After all, if it is done, first, you can fulfill your husband's last wishes, and second, you can reap both fame and fortune. So Ruth quit her job as a designer, sold her property, and used all her savings to build an expedition.
In October 1936, this American expedition crossed the ocean to Sichuan, China.
After about twenty days of searching, they found a single panda cub deep in the mountain forest of Wenchuan. This is a male panda about two months old, now alone in a tree hole. As soon as she saw the cub, Ruth excitedly rushed forward to pick it up and named it "Su Lin".
The men then traveled to Shanghai to prepare to take a boat back to the United States.
In that era of war, customs was not allowed to take away living animals, let alone a cherished panda.
Ruth gambled everything, just to bring back a panda, how could she give up? In order to take the panda away, Ruth used the money to open up the relationship.
In November, Ruth put "Su Lin" in a wicker basket and boarded a steamer bound for the United States. The customs officer saw the cub and asked what it was? Ruth calmly wrote on the registration form, "Carry a pug with you." How different are pugs and pandas, and how ridiculous is that?
Ruth is so bold that she is not brazenly deceiving people under pressure from the United States.
And the panda cubs on the mainland were easily stolen. As soon as Ruth arrived in San Francisco, she caused a stir in the United States. At that time, americans had never seen a giant panda, and for a time everyone was captured by its cute appearance.
In particular, it is only black and white, and the distribution is very fixed. This made everyone wonder, how did its hair grow? Why is there only black and white?
Unique appearance
Why do giant pandas only have black and white colors? It's not always going to be cute! Of course, this is a joke. The black and white appearance of giant pandas is currently mainly explained in three ways.
The first is the protection color explanation. It is believed that the black and white color of giant pandas is conducive to their concealment in the snow and dense forests. Black can blend with dark things such as rocks, shadows, and tree trunks, while white is similar to light-colored objects such as snow and dead leaves. To put it bluntly, it is a protective color that allows them to reduce disputes. Studies have shown that after more than 55 meters, the outline of the giant panda will become blurred in the eyes of predators.
Second, face recognition. We humans distinguish ourselves from others by our five senses. And the giant pandas? Furry all over, generally look the same, how should they be distinguished? Of course, it can only rely on the color of the coat. There are no identical leaves in the world, and there are no exactly same giant pandas. They distinguish themselves from their counterparts by the black and white combination of hairs.
Third, warning explanation. Black eyes, black ears, at first glance, is it still a little scary? Some scientists believe that the black ears on the head of the giant panda have the effect of intimidating the enemy. To know this group of national treasures, usually as soon as you nibble on bamboo, you forget nothing. Even his own biological children can forget everything. So when a predator comes, it is natural not to find out in time.
But with this pair of ears, it is different, as black and round as the eyes, which will make other animals think that they are eyes. Animal hunting is all about sneak attacks, which have been discovered by the other side, how to continue? Therefore, many predators will abandon hunting and look for the next target. Therefore, the giant panda can naturally continue to nibble on bamboo, and it is worthy of being a national treasure without fighting.
History of panda blood and tears
Pandas have been breeding on the mainland for millions of years, and the number has always been rare, but it is not as rare as it is now. The reason why the situation of endangerment has something to do with the Period of World War II.
It is mentioned that the American Ruth stole the panda cub, and this cute creature was quickly favored by Westerners, but unfortunately died less than a year later.
But when Westerners see this kind of cute thing, how can they not want to continue to have it?
After that, these foreigners began to prey on pandas and came to China to search for giant pandas unscrupulously. In just three or four years, the number of domestic pandas has dropped sharply. Some were caught in foreign countries, some died while caught, and more were poorly raised, resulting in the death of giant pandas. Even so, these mad people did not stop the pace of cruelty, for the sake of profit, a large number of these rare creatures.
The number of pandas was found to be plummeting, and the Nationalist government also introduced policies to restrict foreigners from hunting. Unfortunately, in the years of war, people can't take care of it, who has the kung fu to manage the panda? Policies that are not implemented in practice are, in the end, empty words.
In this way, more and more giant pandas are being shipped abroad. Even if it has sharp teeth and bite force comparable to that of a polar bear, it still can't withstand the hunter's guns and ammunition. However, when it comes to foreign countries, people will be dissatisfied, not to mention giant pandas? Coupled with people's lack of understanding of panda habits, a large number of pandas died in foreign lands.
It was not until the founding of New China that these poachers gradually disappeared, and the pandas finally had time to recuperate.
Become a national treasure
In 1962, the panda became a protected animal on the mainland and established a nature reserve.
By 1988, as the number of pandas decreased, it became a first-class protected animal. But there are so many rare animals that need to be protected, how did the giant panda become a national treasure? Standing out from the many species, what is so special about the giant panda?
That's a long story. You know, the giant panda was discovered on the mainland very early and domesticated, but at that time people called it an iron-eating beast.
In ancient times, the Yellow Emperor even brought it to the battlefield. Don't look at it cute, but the bite force is amazing, ranking fifth among carnivores. Coupled with that pair of bear claws, a slap can let you see the western sky. Such strength is not cute, but fierce.
Since then, the status of pandas has not been low. After all, on the battlefield, it is not the enemy or the comrades-in-arms, and the strength of the panda is enough to be called a comrade-in-arms. The panda's combat strength is amazing, but its temperament is gentle, it usually does not provoke trouble, it is not afraid to see people, and it is slowly regarded as an ambassador for peace.
For example, during the Western Jin Dynasty, when the two armies were at war, if one side wanted to surrender or truce, it would hold high the banner painted with the panda, which was similar to the current white flag.
During the Tang Dynasty, pandas were also given diplomatic responsibilities. When Japanese envoys came to the Tang Dynasty to celebrate, Wu Zetian sent gifts including two giant pandas. As a national gift, how can the treatment of giant pandas be worse? When they went to Japan, they were accompanied by two specialized orc tamers and a large number of guards.
In the Ming Dynasty, pandas were even given to the emperor as Xiangrui.
From ancient times to the present, which animal can have a panda special? Not to mention modern times, pandas have also been given diplomatic significance. In 1941, in order to thank the United States, the Nationalist government gave the giant panda to the United States as a "precious and national gift with Chinese characteristics".
After the founding of New China, "panda diplomacy" was in full swing. From 1957 to 1982 alone, 23 giant pandas were sent abroad, including the Soviet Union, the United States, France, Japan and so on. Later, it was found that foreign breeding was not good, and the number of pandas was getting smaller and smaller, so the gift was changed to a lease. Today, it has changed to collaborative research.
Giant pandas are cute creatures, who wouldn't like it? Even if it crosses national borders, it is still popular. It is also for this reason that it can become a national ceremony for easing international relations. And the "bear sucker" is willing to queue for hours, just to see its cute appearance.
Meng knows no borders. Whenever a giant panda visits a foreign country, it can always be cheered like a superstar. Especially the furry body, which satisfies everyone's fantasy, is simply the favorite of every "plush control".
This is very different from Australia's national treasure. After all, no one expected that kangaroos were mixed into national treasures and could even be served to the table. It seems that there is still a certain advantage to a small number, at least it will not become food. But the panda is so cute, who can bear to be moved by it!
In addition, giant pandas also have the title of "living fossils". You know, it may have fought with mammoths, saber-toothed tigers and other animals, all creatures of the same period. Today, those species are history, but giant pandas have been passed down for a long time and become living fossils. Therefore, it is not only a rare animal unique to the mainland, but also has a high scientific research value.
Various factors have made the giant panda stand out from many rare species and become a national treasure of China and enjoy a unique pampering. Under the strong protection of the state, the number of giant pandas has risen by leaps and bounds, and now it is out of endangered species. However, even if the number is more, it does not affect the status of its national treasure, and the power of a generation of "cute" lords is so easy to dissolve?