Loading...There’s no doubt that the panda is one of the most iconic animals in the world. It’s featured on the logo of the World Wildlife Foundation, is the national animal of China, and as the video points out, the panda even has a restaurant chain featuring it. The panda is obviously a very cute animal, but considering it’s not a very widespread species it seems odd that it’s so popular. How did the panda rise through the ranks of beloved animals to become the logo of one of largest conservation organizations in the world?
As it turns out, the story of the panda is much more interesting and convoluted than one might think. In the great video above, Emily Grasile of thebrainscoop tells the story of Ruth Harkness, the Flapper from New York City that first brought pandas to the western world, and what followed the introduction of the species.