Current Events: Weird and Wonderful Wildlife

Image from Intrepid Travel

Today is World Wildlife Conservation Day, and a good day to bring attention to some interesting wildlife discoveries in the news recently.  Let's start with the weird, shall we?  Scientists have found that wolves in Yellowstone National Park who are infected with Toxmoplasma gondii, a parasite commonly found in cats which causes toxoplasmosis, tends to make them engage in riskier behavior.  They are 11 times more likely to leave the safety of their pack and strike off on their own, and 46 time more likely to become a pack leader!  Apparently the parasite enters the wolf host's brain and causes the behavior changes.  Since cats are the only hosts in which these parasites can complete their life cycle (all other species are essentially dead-end hosts where the parasites can survive but cannot reproduce) it is thought that this riskier behavior by their hosts may make them more likely to cross paths with feline species which can then possibly ingest the adult parasite, allowing them to complete their life cycle.  It is known that rodents infected with T. gondii seem to lose their fear of cats, making them easy prey for cats.  Even humans with toxoplasmosis can show behavioral changes (not to mention the fact that toxoplasmosis can on rare occasions lead to serious injury or even death).

Image from BBC

Also reported in the news recently is the wonderful rediscovery of a bird thought to be extinct for 140 years!  The Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon (Otidiphaps insularis), previously documented by scientists only once in 1882, was recently photographed by another team of scientists on the rugged island of Fergusson in Papua New Guinea.  This large, ground-dwelling pigeon lives in the rugged and almost inaccessible forests on the island which could be its last stronghold.  It is hoped that this new information will help in the preservation of the species, which is still considered to be extremely rare and endangered.  Take a look at the video recorded by the research team below:

 

These two stories are proof that we still have a lot to learn about the wildlife with whom we share this planet.  The information we gain from studying these species is invaluable for understanding the planet on which we all live as well as how environmental variables may affect us.  We would do well to protect our fellow species, as in doing so we may just be protecting ourselves.

This 'n That Thursdays: An Amazingly Self-Sufficient Woman's Vlog

My pandemic-induced obsession with simple lifestyle YouTube vlogs continues, and lately I have been fascinated with those posted by self-sufficient women.  My most recent obsession is a vlog called Primitive Survival Life, featuring a young woman from Singapore who demonstrates the traditional survival techniques of her homeland in her quest to live off-grid.  Her vlog has only been up for a few months, but already she has built a large outdoor covered porch with an enclosed sleeping area, a bamboo villa, two wells, two water filtration systems, two outdoor kitchens, a small swimming pool plus seating area, an outdoor sleeping pavilion, an underground shower, and an underground toilet!  She does all of this on her own with only the simplest of tools and mostly using materials from nature (she even makes her own concrete!).  Above is her first video where she builds the outdoor covered porch, complete with a moat filled with wild-caught fish.  Below is the video showing how she built one of the water filtration systems, which I find particularly fascinating - the water passes through three different filtration tanks, each with progressively finer filtering material, until the fourth tank finally receives the drinkable water. 

I have to confess that I binge-watched all of the vlog posts over a couple of days, and now can't wait to see what she builds next.  I don't think I have ever had the strength, stamina, and determination this young lady has, even when I was her age, and I certainly never possessed the amazing skill sets she demonstrates so effortlessly.  This woman seems to be working with the support of fellow Singaporeans who share a desire to live in harmony with their natural environment while preserving traditional ways of life (she recommends two other similar vlogs by friends at the bottom of the page here).  What I most admire about all of the vlogs I have seen by young people from around the world is that they have no problem blending the demonstration of a simple lifestyle with advanced technology.  They know how to balance concern for the planet with their computer and digital skills, and they are showing the the rest of us how it can be done in unique and creative ways.  I for one hope that this is the way of the future!

This 'n That Thursdays: Sunflower Pollen Has Health Benefits for Bees!

From New Mexico Beekeepers Association

Gardening season is almost upon us here in Georgia - I may even plant some cold-hardy seeds this weekend.  When it comes time to plant more sensitive varieties, I will definitely be planting some sunflower seeds this year, thanks to a recent study which found that sunflower pollen can be beneficial to bees.  A recent study published in the September 2018 issue of Scientific Reports concluded that "...sunflower (Helianthus annuus) pollen dramatically and consistently reduced a protozoan pathogen (Crithidia bombi) infection in bumble bees (Bombus impatiens) and also reduced a microsporidian pathogen (Nosema ceranae) of the European honey bee (Apis mellifera), indicating the potential for broad anti-parasitic effects".  The scientists do caution, however, that an exclusive diet of sunflower pollen is too low in protein and some amino acids, so additional food sources should be provided as well.

While most people immediately think of the European honey bee when considering ways to protect plant pollinators, there are many other bee species (as well as other insects and birds) that pollinate plants.  According to a Discover Magazine article, the best strategy the average person can choose that will help all pollinators is to replace as much lawn as possible with a wide variety of flowering plants.  Most people who garden seem to do this anyway!  It would not hurt and it just might help pollinators if gardeners include some sunflowers in their mix of flowering plants, so why not plant some sunflower seeds on your property this year?

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From The Micro Gardener

From SF Gate

             

Weekend Wonders: Pyrenean Desman (Galemys pyrenaicus), the Snorkel Snout!

From National Geographic

It has been ages since I posted a Weekend Wonders animal description, so it is high time I added another.  Meet the Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus)!

Never heard of it?  Neither had I until a few days ago when my husband left me a magazine clipping describing this little semi-aquatic insectivore and its imperiled existence.  Pyrenean desmans inhabit the mountainous northern region of the Iberian peninsula and the French Pyrenees Mountains.  They spend most of their time in cold mountain lakes, rivers, and streams where they forage for aquatic insects and crustaceans.

The Pyrenean desman is well-adapted for aquatic life, with large webbed feet, a long tail vertically flattened at the end to serve as a rudder, the ability to close its ears and nostrils underwater, and a long, flexible snout covered with sensitive vibrissae that can be held above water like a snorkel or used as a probe while foraging.  These mammals are solitary, nocturnal, and monogamous with no known natural predators.  However, threats including habitat fragmentation and pollution, the introduction of invasive predator species, and climate change all appear to have led to a precipitous decline in the population.  The IUCN lists the Pyrenean desman as vulnerable, which means it is likely to become endangered unless the threats to its survival are reduced or removed.

This innocuous little creature should not be allowed to disappear just because so few people are even aware it exists, so I hope that more of us will learn of its plight and do what we can to help save it!

From Encyclopedia of Life

             

This 'n That Thursdays: Two Fascinating Facts I Learned at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

Towering orchid display at the 2018 Orchid Daze exhibit
(from The Orchid Column)

A couple of weeks ago my husband and I visited the Atlanta Botanical Garden to see the Orchid Daze display before it ended.  As happens more often than not, I forgot to bring my camera, but that did not stop us from enjoying the Garden.  We went on a Thursday hoping that it would be less crowded than on a weekend, and except for a few school class trips there were indeed fewer people, although it was still an impressive crowd for a weekday.  One of the perks of a less crowded day is that the docents have more time to answer questions, which is how we got to learn two fascinating tidbits of information that were new to us.

Golden Poison Frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
(from Atlanta Botanical Garden)

The first fact involves tropical frogs.  You may not know that the Atlanta Botanical Garden has a facility for keeping and raising rare and endangered tropical frog species from Central and South America.  Several frog exhibits are located near the entrance to the Fuqua Conservatory where the orchids are housed.  One of the species on display is the Golden Poison Frog (Phyllobates terribilis), whose deadly skin secretions were used to poison the tips of blowgun darts.  The garden volunteer at this exhibit told us that the frog poison comes from the insects that the frogs eat, and that these insects in turn get their toxins from the plants that they ingest.  The most interesting fact she mentioned, though, is that if the frogs are raised on nontoxic insects, then the frogs themselves are nontoxic as well!  And by the way, all of the Golden Poison Frogs in the Garden's display, which were raised at the Garden on nontoxic insects, are not poisonous.

Flowering Coconut Pie Orchid (Maxillaria tenuifolia)
(from Orchids Forum)

We then moved on to the orchid center, where we learned our second new fact of the day.  We first explored the Orchid Daze exhibit, and then went into the Orchid Display House in the Fuqua Orchid Center to see what orchids were flowering there.   We like to see the vanilla orchid vines in flower, and I am always on the hunt for any fragrant orchids.  We asked a volunteer which of the orchids in flower were fragrant, and she mentioned several, but one in particular that we had never heard of before captivated us.  It turns out that there is a species of orchid with a distinctive coconut scent, and it happened to be flowering when we were there.  Known as the Coconut Pie Orchid (Maxillaria tenuifolia), it also has long spiky leaves, prominent pseudobulbs, and small but pretty speckled red flowers.  The aroma of this orchid is heavenly, and so strong it smells more like coconuts than the real thing!

We were told that these orchids are not too difficult to keep, and that it was possible to purchase them online.  When we got home I had to do a search, and actually found a great source on Amazon!  Unlike most sources, this supplier sells good-sized plants already mature enough to flower, although they do not ship them in flower.  (Unfortunately, my source is currently out of stock, but there are other suppliers on Amazon, and this one may be worth trying as the seller gets good reviews).  I immediately ordered one just before Easter and it arrived the following Tuesday, well wrapped, healthy, and undamaged.  It now sits in our most plant-friendly window, and if we are lucky we may get it to flower one of these days.  I hope so, as I look forward to having that luscious coconut scent wafting through our house!

The next Garden event I am awaiting with anticipation is the Imaginary Worlds display which opens on May 5th (aren't those camels fantastic?).  There have been two previous mosaiculture exhibits at the Garden, and they are so unique and impressive that the Garden has actually kept a few of the previous displays as permanent features.  I had never even heard of mosaiculture before I saw these exhibits.  You may want to check out any botanical gardens located near where you live (or visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden if you are in the area), because you never know what fascinating facts you may learn!
             

Holiday Hits: Manatee Appreciation Day!

Who could resist these faces?
(from National Geographic Kids)

Today is Manatee Appreciation Day, and I just had to post the video of my favorite manatee commercial!  There are three recognized manatee species, including the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) which inhabits the waters of the southeastern United States, normally ranging as far north as Georgia and as far west as Texas.  These gentle giants of the sea are currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, mainly due to habitat loss.  Giving them their own holiday is a great way to raise awareness of their existence and encourage people to learn more about them.  Just for fun though, watch this hilarious commercial and enjoy their uniqueness (I would love to cuddle that little manatee)!

               

This 'n That Thursdays: Invasion of the Female Mutant Marbled Crayfish

Marbled crayfish or Marmorkrebs (from Providr)

I know my post title sounds like that of an old 1950s science fiction movie, but this story is all fact, not fiction!  The marbled crayfish or Marmorkrebs (Procambarus fallax forma virginalis) is a mutation of an obscure American crayfish species called the slough crayfish (Procambarus fallax) found in a limited area of Georgia and Florida.  It became very popular as an aquarium pet in Germany, either before or after it somehow mutated into the new and distinct parthenogenic (self-cloning) form in the mid-1990s.  While still informally classified as a variation of the slough crayfish, a recent study concluded that it meets the criteria for classification as a new species.

All of these mutated crayfish are female, and they are extremely prolific, reproducing and multiplying at a rapid rate.  And unfortunately, the marbled crayfish escaped captivity and proved to be quite adept at exploiting new habitats.  In addition to Germany, this newcomer has been reported in the wild in several other European nations, Japan, and especially Madagascar, where it is widespread and threatening to drive the native crayfish species to extinction.

From The New York Times

So don't let the peaceful-looking crustacean above fool you - there is a high probability that this new species could wreak havoc on global aquatic ecosystems in the near future.  However, I doubt that we will have to deal with any situation similar to the one shown in this poster of an aborted SyFy Channel movie effort:

From Dread Central

For some odd reason, this SyFy Channel idea for a giant crawdad movie never came to fruition.  How could that be - perhaps because they were focusing on the wrong gender?  Maybe the network will reconsider now that Marmorkrebs has reared her marbled head, or should I say claw, to the world!
             

This 'n That Thursdays: Will Chocolate Go Extinct?

From Concept News Central

Please say it isn't so!  According to an article in Business Insider there is a good chance that suitable habitat for cacao plants will all but disappear by the year 2050, thanks to increasing temperatures and drier weather conditions.  Cacao trees only grow in rain forests within a limited latitudinal range, and most of the world's chocolate comes from just two African countries, Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana, which could no longer be suitable for cacao plants in just a few decades.  The trees may be able to grow at much higher elevations, but just imagine the impossibility of land owners trying to move their cacao plantations to land that they do not own, or the lag time needed to clear and prepare new land as well as get plants established and producing, not to mention the negative ecological impacts of such a move!

This dire prediction has worried chocolate producer Mars, Incorporated (maker of Snickers bars and M&Ms) enough that they are now in collaboration with scientists from The University of California Berkeley attempting to develop hardier cacao plants that will be able to survive future hotter and drier conditions in current plantation locations.  The company is investing $1 billion in a variety of ways to decrease their carbon footprint.  If the Berkeley scientists are successful in developing a hardier cacao tree, there will be no need to consider moving cacao plantations to land currently being used mainly for wildlife preservation.  New technology called CRISPR, known primarily for its potential to eliminate genetic diseases, is being used to genetically tweak the DNA of cacao plants (see a more simplified explanation of CRISPR here).

Basically, CRISPR is a form of genetic editing rather than genetic modification.  This technology has led to a whole new set of questions over the safety and advisability of tinkering with DNA, whether in humans or food crops, so even if it is possible to develop altered cacao plants it may be difficult to get growers and consumers to accept them.  As if the world does not have enough problems, now we have to worry about the possibility that one of our favorite comfort foods may be doomed to disappear!

Pod-laden cacao trees (from Confectionery News).

           

This 'n That Thursdays: Edible Spoons!

From The Hunger Site

I am all for supporting products that make our world a little more environmentally friendly, so when I saw an article about edible spoons as an alternative to the plastic throwaway versions given out by fast food establishments I was intrigued.  A company in India called Bakey's Foods began production of spoons that are edible and biodegradable in 2010.  The spoons come in plain, sweet, or savory flavors that can be selected to complement whatever food you happen to order.  They are made of various grains such as millet, rice, and wheat, but the primary ingredient is sorghum which is produced from millet.  Since millet is a very water-sparing crop it is much better for the environment than a grain like water-loving rice.

If you decide not to eat the spoon, it is completely biodegradable, unlike plastic cutlery which can remain in a landfill for centuries.  The company has plans to manufacture edible forks, chopsticks, and even salad bowls in the future.  Learn more about the company, its products, and the present and future goals of its founder in the YouTube video below.  Let's hope that these eco-friendly options become standard at fast food establishments in the near future so that we can reduce the amount of non-biodegradable trash in our landfills as soon as possible!

                

This 'n That Thursdays: 2017 Native Plants of the Year

A native plants-based woodland garden in New York
(from Dawn's Wild Things).

Just when you thought I had forgotten about plants of the year, I have one more post about the 2017 native plant picks for birds and other wildlife from the Onondaga (New York) Audubon Society in conjunction with the group Habitat Gardening in Central New York (HGCNY).  Even though these plants are regional selections, I decided to feature them because I think this is a good idea for all regional gardening and native habitat organizations to adopt!  Take a look at some of the beautiful native species that could be added to any garden in the central and northern New York region (or any other region where they are native):

From NC State Extension

1) Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alterniflora) - small deciduous tree or large multi-stemmed shrub with white flowers and bluish-black fruits eaten by birds; also provides cover and nesting habitat.

From Flora Pittsburghensis

2) Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) - tall herbaceous perennial with tiny white flowers; attractive to insects and can provide cover for birds.

From Go Botany

3) New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) - tall herbaceous perennial with yellow-centered purple flowers in the fall; provides late season nectar for bees and butterflies.

From Shaker Lakes

4) White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) - herbaceous perennial with spikes of distinctive white flowers; partial to moist shady areas; nectar source for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other insects.

From Santa Rosa Gardens

5) Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) - dense perennial bunchgrass with fine-textured foliage  and blue-green stems; seeds attract birds and can be a winter food source.

From Go Botany

6) Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) - herbaceous perennial with small, fragrant pink flowers visited by hummingbirds; plant in moist areas; preferred host for monarch butterfly caterpillars.

From NC State Extension

7) Oswego Tea or Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma) - spreading, clumping herbaceous perennial with clusters of bright red, tubular flowers very attractive to hummingbirds.

From Plants & Ridiculousness

8) Purple-Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus) - shrubby, thornless perennial with fragrant purple flowers; fruits eaten by many birds; also provides cover.

From Wood Thrush Natives

9) Black Cohosh or Black Bugbane (Actaea racemosa) - clumping herbaceous perennial with spires of tiny white flowers in late summer visited by hummingbirds and butterflies; prefers rich soil and partial shade.

From The Foraging Photographer

10) Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) - fast-growing medium-sized oak (50-75 feet tall) with small acorns eaten by birds such as Blue Jays, Wild Turkeys, and Ruffed Grouse; also provides good nesting habitat.

And because I live in Georgia, I have one more plant to profile that was chosen by the Georgia Native Plant Society as its 2017 Plant of the Year:

From State-by-State Gardening/Georgia Gardening

Sweet Betsy Trillium (Trillium cuneatum) - this shade-loving plant is so low to the ground it might be overlooked, but to miss this lovely early bloomer would be a shame!  The mottled bracts surround good-sized scented flowers which are usually maroon, but can be bronze, reddish-green, or even yellow in color.  Native to deciduous woodland coves, the sweet Betsy is a great choice for shade gardens.  It prefers moist soil, but is hardy and drought-resistant.  It is also deer-proof to a certain extent and very long-lived.  If you are ever in Athens, GA, in the early spring and would like to see this plant, try paying a visit to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, where the sweet Betsy trillium is planted along the walkway from the parking lot to the garden entrance, and which is where my husband and I saw it this year!

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Well, that's it for 2017 plants of the year posts here.  I hope you've found some good ideas, or at least enjoyed the show!
             

This 'n That Thursdays: Ticks Versus Mice, or Recruiting One Type of Vermin to Control Another!

What big eyes and ears you have!
 (from Animal Behavior)

As this seems to be my week to complain, let me say that I loathe and despise ticks.  And a recent article suggests that tick-borne diseases are on the rise, some of which can be fatal to humans.  In the past 50 years, scientists have identified at least a dozen previously unknown diseases transmitted by these unpleasant arthropods.

Ticks need a blood meal to reproduce, and one of their most abundant hosts in the United States is the ubiquitous deer mouse (Peromyscus spp.).  In the Northeast, these mice are a favorite of the blacklegged or deer tick (Ixodes scapularis), which can carry a number of diseases, such as Lyme disease and the potentially deadly new Powassan virus.  Ticks can harbor at least four different diseases at once, so one tick bite could possibly lead to infection with multiple diseases!  Unlike many other species, deer mice do not bother to remove and kill ticks by grooming, and they have been known to carry as many as one hundred ticks at once.  The very idea is extremely gross, and I am sorry for that, but it is important, I promise.

A couple of researchers named Felicia Keesing and Rick Ostfeld who study deer mice came up with the intriguing idea of using the heavy tick loads on the mice as a way to control tick populations.  Since mice like dark, enclosed spaces, they are usually caught in traps with narrow openings.  The scientists devised the clever addition of a small brush to the top of the opening that would swipe a tick-killing insecticide (similar to that used on pets) onto the backs of mice.  Just like it does for dogs, the insecticide will kill any tick that comes into contact with the skin of treated mice for weeks.  Since these mice carry so many ticks, this method could potentially put a significant dent in the tick population and thus reduce tick-borne disease transmission as well.

The two scientists have recently begun a study to determine how effective this method of tick control could be.  They do stress that, for this type of control to work, it must be a community effort and not just restricted to isolated residences.  However, if their results are encouraging and tick-borne disease infection in humans continues to rise, there could be enough motivation for many communities to get behind this relatively easy-to-implement control method.

While I am not especially fond of mice, at least they have a modicum of cuteness (see image at the top of page) and they are not bloodsuckers like ticks.  I will still be doing all that I can to keep both mice and ticks from overpopulating our property, but I am a realist.  I doubt that we humans will ever be able to eliminate either mice or tick populations completely, so if forced to make a choice I think I would have to go with the tick-assassinating mice for now!

There is just nothing cute about a tick (from Inside Climate News).

             

This 'n That Thursdays: Leprosy in Squirrels

Red squirrel with leprosy (from NPR).

As if we didn't have enough to worry about, a recent publication in the journal Science announced the discovery that two strains of leprosy bacteria in Great Britain, one thought to have been wiped out centuries ago, are alive and well in their red squirrel  (Sciurus vulgaris) population.  Fortunately, so far the disease has not been transferred from these squirrels to humans, but the prevalent idea that this disease is almost exclusively spread from human-to-human contact is being re-examined.  It is already known that the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) here in the United States carries a strain of leprosy to which humans are susceptible, but it was thought that this transference method was a fluke.  Now scientists are looking into the possibility that animal-to-human transference may be responsible for the stubborn resistance of the disease to eradication in countries such as India and Brazil.

For now, all we can do is keep an eye on those ubiquitous bushy-tailed arboreal rodents in our own backyards and wonder...

From Pinterest (photographer Dan Codd)

             

Wish List Wednesdays: Maine Sea Bags

I recently saw an ad for Maine Sea Bags which aroused my curiosity, so I just had to check out their website.  This company creates bags of all sorts from recycled boat sails, which is a clever re-use idea and great for the environment.  There are a variety of design options, both in type of bag and print theme.  Since my husband studies crustaceans, I focused on the lobster and crab selections.  Here are just a few that I loved:

1) Lobster Portfolio Case ($95)

2) Red Lobster Print Wristlet ($30)

3) White on Blue Crab Tote ($160-$180)

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In addition to the crustaceans, the bags are available in other marine life and nautical prints, as well as stars, stripes, plaids, and more!  There is even a selection of non-bag items for purchase.  Check out the website and you may find your own perfect sea bag!
             

Current Events: Happy Earth Day!

From Earthjustice

Today is Earth Day, a good time to think about environmental problems.  I thought I would highlight just one of many such issues by focusing on the recent widespread die-off of honeybees.  Although the domesticated honeybee (Apis mellifera) is not native to the United States, it is an integral part of our agricultural success (see the poster above).  The causes of the recent die-off are thought to include parasites, pathogens, poor nutrition, and pesticides. While we may not be able to eliminate all of these problems, they can all be controlled to some extent, and almost anyone can help.

One of the major issues leading to honeybee die-off is the way crops are pollinated.  Large numbers of bee colony hives are transported long distances to pollinate crops as needed.  This causes overcrowding of bees from many colonies in one area, which facilitates transmission of parasites and pathogens and can result in colony collapse disorder.  Poor nutrition can also be a problem, because of the tendency to grow crop monocultures, giving the bees little diversity in food sources.

What can you do to help?  If possible, start your own hive!  The more isolated each bee colony is from others, the less likely it is that pests and diseases will spread.  If you know of a bee colony that has naturalized in your area, try to keep it protected, or have a local bee club remove it to a safer location rather than allowing it to be destroyed.  Anyone with a garden can help bees tremendously by avoiding the use of pesticides and planting bee-pollinated flowering plants that can give these insects a greater variety of food sources.  The plants will help not only honeybees, but native bees and butterflies as well, which are also important pollinators.  By keeping all pollinators healthy, we can keep our native plants as well as our food crops healthy, and healthy plants contribute to a healthy planet!

Taking care of pollinators is just one way we can all help to care for our planet.  One small act by many people can indeed make a difference, and I hope we all can contribute on Earth Day and every day to make a this world a safer, healthier, better place for all of its inhabitants.

Honeybee on aster flower (from Wikimedia Commons)

This 'n That Thursdays: The Panda Project

Hong Kong is in the midst of an amazing panda invasion!  A total of 1,600 papier mâché pandas created by French sculptor Paulo Grangeon will be on display at various locations in Hong Kong during the month of June.  The exhibit will raise awareness about convervation and sustainability by focusing on the declining wild panda population, which is estimated to number about 1,600 at this time.  Grangeon created this project in 2008 in collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund in France.  The pandas are on a year-long world tour, and have already been on display in France, the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and Taiwan.  The director of the project, SK Lam, was also the creative force behind the giant floating Rubber Duck in Hong Kong last year.  Take a look at some photos of these adorable ambassadors of conservation awareness:

The pandas aboard a flight to Hong Kong
(from Daily Mail)

Disembarking at the Hong Kong airport
(from Daily Mail)

Hong Kong Harbor provides a stunning background
for the newly arrived visitors (from Daily Mail).

Pandas on parade in a Hong Kong shopping district
(from Daily Mail).

Enjoying a Hong Kong beach (from CNN).

The pandas touring Taiwan in March 2014
(from CNN).

Charming the locals at a train station in Germany in
August 2013 (from Dayton Daily News).

Frolicking in the grass near Lake Geneva, Switzerland,
in September 2011 (from CNN).

Rivaling the Eiffel Tower for attention in Paris in October 2008
(from CNN).

I missed seeing the giant Rubber Duck when it was in the United States, and although it does not look like the pandas are scheduled to appear here at all, I am hoping that some enterprising organization will decide to rectify that situation.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a national panda invasion in the near future!