# Suppose I wanted my very own pet panda ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2011, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-i-wanted-my-very-own-pet-panda/567326 "2011-01-12T10:59:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-i-wanted-my-very-own-pet-panda/567326/21 "2011-01-12T22:13:33Z")
Speaking of Wiki, this is one of the few instances I’m afraid to click on a Wiki link from work. I went to the Giant Panda Wiki page and it talked about how they were having problems getting them to breed in captivity, and some researchers resorted to trying to teach them how to mate by showing them Panda Porn (with Wikilink). Nope. I’ve even _seen_ the show about showing them Panda Porn and I am NOT clicking on that link. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-i-wanted-my-very-own-pet-panda/567326/22 "2011-01-12T22:53:36Z")
Much as with tigers the Chinese government already long ago realized that they are the ones who are in the best position to exploit giant pandas. So as already mentioned in this thread, they rent them out to zoos around the world under the guise of “breeding programs”. What isn’t often discussed is that taking pandas who are capable of successfully breeding out of the wild to participate in these rent-a-panda programs is in itself part of the reason they remain so endangered that we can justify capturing them for breeding programs (if you think you see a vicious circle in this design you are correct). So other posters were right. The most straightforward way to get your own panda if money is no object is to buy or found an accredited zoo, hire a biologist and a zookeeper who will ‘work with you’ and then rent some Pandas from China. The “Zoo” is your way of creating conditions where the Chinese government can set you up with an endangered animal for a huge fee without suffering too much scorn from the international community. If you think that is too plain vanilla and not sneaky or underhanded enough you can take some comfort in the fact that it is all definitely very sneaky and underhanded and corrupt. Being legal shouldn’t give one the impression that it is either honest, or actually good for Pandas. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2011, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-i-wanted-my-very-own-pet-panda/567326/23 "2011-01-12T23:04:25Z")
Before you decide to get a panda bear, you should definitely watch [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1txyziLSvcA) scene…be warned, it’s pretty graphic. It might help you to decide that panda bears are simply too dangerous to keep… -XT ---
**Author:** ![GiantRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@GiantRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GiantRat)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2011, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-i-wanted-my-very-own-pet-panda/567326/24 "2011-01-14T06:53:24Z")
Don’t cuddle with it - it can kick your arse and/or kill you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suppose-i-wanted-my-very-own-pet-panda/567326.md?page=1)