So saving them is like saving their entire ecosystem. Mangrove forests, for example, support at least 1,300 animal species with their roots, fruit, and branches. Marc Bekoff : "Animals like ants, and some of the insects, have far more ecosystem value than do pandas, or elephants, or wolves, or all the charismatic animals. Ultimately, what it boils down to is this: People care about cute critters. And why wouldn't we? They're freakin' adorable! Their round head, seemingly large eyes, and Cabbage Patch Kid bodies remind us of babies, and that triggers a nurturing response. Regardless, we are dead set on keeping this species alive. And even if they do, there's no guarantee the cub will live. But in captivity, the chosen pair is often separated right up to when the female is ovulating. On top of that, wild pandas have a mating routine that involves courting calls and scent markings that can last weeks. Threesomes are more or less the norm when it comes to wild-panda sex - something that's difficult to replicate in zoos. Turns out, breeding pandas in captivity is a completely different ball game than in the wild. And they are not ambassadors for their species." Marc Bekoff : "My view is regardless of whether they are an important source of revenue, we do not need any more pandas in captivity. While that money is great for the zoos, it's not necessarily the best for the pandas. And food and merchandise sales at the National Zoo in Washington, DC, nearly doubled from $5.5 million in 2000 to $10.3 million after their two pandas arrived in 2001. In 2012, attendance at the Edinburgh Zoo rose 51% after pandas arrived. But zoos are far from going bankrupt over pandas. That doesn't even include extra costs like the bear's enclosure, medical care, and mountains of bamboo. Most sign 10-year "panda diplomacy" contracts, and if any baby cubs are born, they pay an additional one-time $400,000 baby tax. And American zoos will shell out up to $1 million a year to rent just one. The Chinese government owns nearly all the giant pandas on earth. We're obsessed! But every obsession has a dark side, and this one starts in China. SO cute that they show up in our logos, movies, and even on our feet. Here's a hot take - pandas are OVERRATED. Pandas are very cute, but they don't do much for their ecosystem, and they take away a lot of resources from other endangered plants and animals that support multitudes.
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