The Rise of the Lesser Panda in Japan

Japan is experiencing a Lesser Panda boom. In case you didn't know, Lesser Pandas are also known as Bear Cats or Red Pandas. You've probably seen them before. Anyway, it's been in the news and all over the television. The reason: Lesser Pandas are standing up. This new and unreported fact came to light recently, and people have been flocking to zoos to see. Really. On the morning news today, they displayed a graph showing declining zoo attendance going numbers going back to the 1960's. Then the showed crowds of people at various zoos all watching Lesser Pandas standing up. That is, zoo workers inside the cages were tempting the Lesser Pandas with snacks, and the Lesser Pandas had obliged by acting like puppy dogs. The Lesser Panda boom, which is reportedly the #4 news story in Japan right now, started this week...and it's amazing how quickly the zoos, television and even the stores selling Lesser Panda merchandise responded.

I imagine that there are a number of boardrooms with people inside patting themselves on the back.