Pandas Live on

Kung Fu Panda Virtual World

Well, in addition to playing online with Farmworld on Facebook, multiplayer games on XBox or other game sites, we now have a panda world we can explore and have fun in.

 

Dreamworks has just launched a virtual panda world where you can pick a character, play games, explore and achieve different levels.  You can play for free, but if you find you want more then what the free access offers you can pay $5.95 a month to explore and play Kung Fu Panda World til your hearts content. 

It's actually targeted for children 6- 12 and there are parental controls to keep up with your childs access.

Nice to read that the sequel will be out next year! 

"John Batter, DWA's co-president of production, and Rick Rekedal, head of production for DWA Online, told THR that the virtual playground will allow "Panda" fans to pick a kung fu style fitting their personality (monkey, tiger or panda) and customize the look of their character, which particularly girls spent much time on in tests.

Users can then play in-world games (from dance/rhythm to jump-and-run and fight games with such names as "Manis and Crane" and "Kung Fu Beats"), unlock additional abilities and games over time and use in-world virtual coins they earn to buy items, such as clothing or scrolls and potions to enhance game play. The goal is to boost their kung fu mastery by earning colored sashes that stand for ever-improving levels of skill.

To make the virtual world experience fun for the long-term, DWA also plans to add new locations, games and features over time.

The idea is to simulate the growth and journey of Po the Panda, the title character of the 2008 film, which is due for a sequel next year."...The Hollywood Reporter 

How did the giant panda get their markings?

The Adelaide Zoo has a cute video on their website that is a animation of a children's picture book, called The Way of the Panda.  I wanted to share it with you here.  

They just released a photo of the panda team that are responsible for Wang Wang and FuNi, so I've posted it before the video. Best of luck to all of you!

 

Wild Pandas on the Smithsonian Channel online

I have often thought to myself, Oh, to hike the mountains of China to see a wild panda.  But, as I have become more familiar with the wild giant panda habitat, I have come to realize, I don't think its  going to happen for me. 

Take a look at these videos taken with special permission by the Chinese government for an international team that made the trek and you will see how difficult an endeavor it is.  Just getting to the area where wild pandas live is unbelievable.  Climbing one steep mountain after another at elevations of 8,000-12,000 ft  and working your way through dense bamboo thickets is not for the casual panda observer.

I found these videos after seeing the link on the National Zoo Giant Panda website.  Its called the Smithsonian Channel.  Of course these three videos are about pandas but they do have other videos featuring different animals, so you can check them out with the link above. 

Conservation International and wild pandas

I'll bet you didn't know the people behind the animated movie 'Kung Fu Panda' were also involved with Conservation International in helping wild pandas. There's a great video featuring Jack Black, who talks about how we can help wild pandas and their habitat after the article.

 

 

Conservation International (CI), a Washington D.C.-based eco-protection organization, will continue its giant panda conservation efforts in southwest China despite the pending completion of its "Kung Fu Panda" project in June, its chairman said on Tuesday.

Peter Seligmann, the CI Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), told Xinhua that CI will continue to work on encouraging local farmers to take part in panda protection and build larger corridors to connect different areas of land inhabited by pandas.

Zhang Li, technical director of CI China Program, said CI will work with international partners, including McDonald's and United Technologies Corporation (UTC), to provide technical and financial support for reforestation and land use management, and the reconstruction of 18 panda corridors.

Wild Pandas: Challenging Field Work

As many of us observe giant pandas in captivity, we sometimes forget about the many people behind the scenes that are working hard to unlock the mystery of the wild giant panda to prevent their extinction. 

We can't forget that giant pandas are an endangered species.

Endangered species: An animal or plant species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

You have read the updates here about the To Catch a Panda program that Michigan State University has. The World Wildlife Fund is very active with researchers and scientist out in the field working with the Chinese. Dr. Pan Wenshi has dedicated most of his life to studying the life of the wild panda. Climbing steep mountainsides, living in remote locations was the norm for Dr. Wenshi.

Another organization that contributes to the knowledge of the giant panda by bringing the stories of these people and pandas to us through the use of visual media is the National Geographic.. They put together a special about giant pandas and it is Dr. Wenshi and his associates that you will see here. It is an older but important story.

Below is Part 1, of the National Geographic Special, Giant Pandas: The Last Refuge. Parts 2-6 are linked below and I will feature a different part every week here also.

Giant Pandas: The Last Refuge 2

Giant Pandas: The Last Refuge 3

Giant Pandas: The Last Refuge 4

Giant Pandas: The Last Refuge 5

Giant Pandas: The Last Refuge 6

There are many more people who are involved around the world who are doing this important work in the field and if you know their story, please let me know so I can tell their story here.

Thanks to yingying816 for tipping me about the series location on YouTube. Thanks also to Jomia1130 who put this series up on their YouTube page.

Trail of the Panda Movie

Walt Disney's new movie Trail of the Panda about a lost panda cub and his 10 year old rescuer opens this Friday in China.

China Daily reports "Set against the spectacular scenery of Siguniang Mountain, Balang Mountain and Wolong Giant Panda Nature Reserve in Sichuan province, the film's central character is an orphan named Lu, who finds a lost panda cub, carries his new friend on his back and starts a thrilling trip to return it to its mother.

"There were lots of documentaries about pandas but they were very factual," says co-producer Jean Chalopin. "We wanted to introduce pandas emotionally to people, to touch their heart."

"The film was conceived three years ago, when Chalopin read that one of the founders of the Wolong reserve had saved a panda during his childhood, forming a life-long bond between him and the animals. He and Jennifer Liu, the scriptwriter and CEO of Beijing-based Ying Dong Media, developed a story based on it, took it to Disney and quickly got a thumbs-up."

I can't wait to see this myself. It took six different panda cubs to play the part of the one cub in the movie. The filmcrew had to follow strict guidelines in how long the pandas could be used in a day and the pandas trainers were always on hand to care and feed them. Here is the trailer, thanks to SlenaMileyMania and laicambell of You Tube for the videos. You can read the complete article here Pandering to every whim - a real panda movie.

Mei and Tian of the National Zoo

I was looking over some photos taken by RoxandaBear of flickr and felt I had to do something with the special series of photos they have collected of Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, the two adult pandas that reside at the National Zoo.  Generally, the zoos in the U.S., keep their pandas separate with the exception of mothers and their cubs until they are weaned.  Fortunately, the National Zoo will bring Mei and Tian together occasionally and when they do it is a joy to watch their interaction together.  Here is a photo collection of Mei and Tian, taken over the last year at different times when they were together and when they were kept apart. Thanks to the wonderful photography of RoxandaBear. 

Panda Tales feature at San Diego Zoo

San Diego Zoo has put together a feature that stars their newest cub Zhen Zhen, who just celebrated her first birthday on August 7, 2007.  If you live in the San Diego area, Watch the premier broadcast of Panda Tales this Sunday, September 7 at 8 p.m. on KPBS-TV.  There is a short video along with a slide show of what you can expect on the San Diego Zoo link above.  Drats, I won't be able to see it but am hoping it will come out on a DVD.