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Christian Living

chinaconnection 01/08/09

When Pandas Attack . . .

There's a reason you don't find any pandas in petting zoos, and it's not just because of their rarity.  Gu Gu, who's perhaps Beijing/st1 :city>'s most famous panda, has bitten his third tourist in just two years.  /span>

His first victim was a drunken tourist who tried to give him a hug.  Last October he bit a teenager who climbed into his exercise area, and the third party was a man who tried to retrieve his child's toy that had fallen into the pen. 

While the latest man looks pretty pathetic, which is no surprise, since zookeepers had to pry open Gu Gu's jaws; you've got to feel sorry for Gu Gu.  I wouldn't be too thrilled if some unwanted intruder broke into my home, either. /p>

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You've got to wonder about the various reasons why anyone would want to jump into a pen with a 240-pound panda, especially one who has a past history with mauling unwanted guests.  At the same time, considering China/st1 :country-region>'s impressive investment in preserving its national treasure, you've also got to wonder why the zoo hasn't invested in a higher fence that tourists can't climb over. 

Perhaps some barbed wire might make a nice touch to keep unwanted visitors away?  It's a lot cheaper than the lawsuit from a disgruntled visitor, at least.  /span>

Maybe the zoo's operating under a "three strikes" policy, and now that Gu Gu has mauled tourist number three, they'll be more willing to invest in a more secure environment for the panda.  It's also possible that the zookeepers believe that people would learn from the mistakes of the past, but it seems that they've given some of us too much credit.  /span>

Bottom line: if you have an uncontrollable urge to hug a panda, or even get your child's toy, stop by the zoo's gift store.  There are plenty of plush toys to go around. /span>

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