Kids, gather ’round for another bedtime story. I know how you love really evil characters. Let’s see. We’ve covered Hannibal Lecter, Vlad the Impaler, Rod Blagojevich, Mad King Ludwig…
Okay, Timmy and Sally, turn the lights out, get under the covers, and I’ll tell you about a naturalist named Chris Packham…
“No, Uncle Bob! Not Chris Packham! Please! Who is he, anyway?”
Well, he’s the man who said conservationists should “pull the plug” on giant pandas, and just let them die out.
“No he did-dunt, Uncle Bob! Stop making that up!”
He says we spend too much money on the panda, because “unfortunately it’s big and cute.” Screw ‘em. Seen one panda, you’ve seen ‘em all.
But what happens when all the pandas are gone, Uncle Bob? What will that nasty man do then?
Well Sally, it wouldn’t surprise me if he goes after sea otters, polar bears and golden retrievers. You better bring Goldie in and hide her in the closet tonight, kids. She’s just too big and cute for her own good.
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Above: Chris Packham (L) Courtesy of All-electric Productions
Below: Washington’s famous giant panda off-spring, Tai Shan, celebrates his fourth birthday in Washington on July 9, 2009. REUTERS Mehgan Murphy-Smithsonian’s National Zoo/Handout
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10 comments so far
Nuh-uh… He said his GIRLFRIEND in the GIANT PANDA SUIT… Or, ex-Girlfriend…
Sheesh… Ya think maybe he graduated bottom 10 in his class?
- Posted by Softly DreamingAnd clearly they’re attempting to kill this one by feeding it a cake made out of fairy floss (cotton candy).
Using Packham’s logic, we should probably let starving children in Africa die too, because they’re ‘more dead than alive’.
Jackass.
- Posted by Little Miss RandomActually he’s one of the most respected wildlife experts in the UK, and a well loved childrens TV presenter.
And he has a point.
The panda isn’t dying out becuase of deforrestation or climate chage - if we left them all alone they’d simply starve themselves to death.
The point he’s making is that cute as they are, via evolution the ONLY form of food they can eat doesn’t provide them with enough energy to live and reproduce - why spend millions on this when we can help other creatures where we are the cuase of their demise?
- Posted by TyrunnBoo him off… Jackass…
- Posted by ShraJackass… … man, that guy should get into Oxford dictionary…
- Posted by ShraHow many people agree… raise your hands please!
Hmmm… he’s due back on screen soon for Autumnwatch… maybe a PR attempt gone wrong….?
- Posted by Gia!!!!! are u a mad man?? all animals and human beings such livee!!!, it doesn matter if we are spending enough money on them look how much money u earn??!! its like u sayin to all people lets jus leave us to all die how cruel are u? jus think on board!!
- Posted by amzzThis just in:
The World Wildlife Foundation has removed an animal from the endangered species list.
That animal, Equus Asinus Asinus, the common jackass, has been spotted to an extreme on the Reuters blog.
- Posted by BillChris Packham doesn’t look nearly cute enough and big enough to save.
On another tack: why can’t researchers come up with a way to teach pandas to eat other things that will help them survive. Maybe information would emerge that would ultimately help people in some way, too. Guess these days it might be hard to come up with the $$$ for a grant.
- Posted by Sylvia Pauckner[...] Oddly Enough » Blog Archive » You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch… | Blogs | [...]
- Posted by How The Grinch Stole Christmas (DVD) Review : Spank me today!