Pandas

In Chongqing zoo there are pandas, and even though this was not part of my mission (my mission was silk) I thought I may as well go and take a look at them since I was there. Here is a panda from far away.


Here he is a bit closer


And here closer still.


As pandas go he was not very active.

This panda, though, was much more interesting. He was eating. Pandas do this a lot.


In fact nearly all the time.


They eat only bamboo. In this way they resemble silkworms which eat only mulberry.


They have fine teeth - which convinces me they are probably not as cuddly as they might seem.


Sometimes they have to solve difficult puzzles like which branch of bamboo to eat next.


Or whether to grunt or squeak at a neighbouring panda


But generally life is not too arduous.


In fact things can usually be taken very easily...


...indeed.