Pandas: A Giant Stirs

Let's face it, panda habitats are to the conservation movement what rural areas are to The Jerry Springer Show, an indispensable source of overweight endangered icons in search of our sympathy. Pandas, unlike talk show contestants, are gentle, well behaved and totally politically correct. They are mostly vegetarians, spend almost all their time being silly, playful and cute, and have been virtually driven to extinction by nefarious Chinese poachers. They also get chased around by wild dogs. I don't think they could evoke more pathos if they converted to Buddhism and sang Barney songs. As this fine video demonstrates, pandas are making a concerted comeback, through the efforts of enlightened authorities in Sichuan Province. Through a unique combination of educational programs, forest reserves, relocation of farmers, and the proposed establishment of "green corridors" to move pandas across breeding ranges, it appears these high spirited roly-polys can now feel freer than ever to create their own unique brand of panda-monium in their bamboo forests. Narrated a little clunkily by Joan Emberey, but featuring lovely cinematography and an irresistible subject matter, this production is Ursa-Major, which is to say, stellar. Highly recommended. Aud: E, I, J, P. (R. Ray)