CNN: Pandas.

CNN has an article about the complexities of mating pandas.

Here are a few blurbs I thought were insightful:

"It's been long known that panda females experience sexual excitement only before ovulation, in a narrow window of time that occurs once a year. The window is open only 24 to 72 hours, sometime between February and May."

"...male pandas' sperm generally improves during the winter, reaches its best quality in March and April and declines in May; sperm production abruptly ends in June. Production of the male hormone testosterone, and other male reproductive indicators, also follow that pattern."

I often raise this point with students that there are some organisms that, by no fault of their own, are going extinct because their own behavior inhibits their growth and expansion as a species. It is apparent that pandas demonstrate an inability to adapt to slow and steady changes to their environment, which is what makes growing their dwindling numbers so difficult.

Though many of the reasons for a panda's endangerment are due to prolonged, man-made causes (climate change, loss of habitat, etc.) I can't help but play the Devil's advocate and suggest if it is even worth saving these animals simply because they are cute and adorable...

I suppose the alternative would be to surrender all fossil fuels and halt all construction projects in threatening areas or to aggressively re-engineer the global climate to return back to the norms that pandas respond best to... But that opens another can of worms with the effects on other organisms (cute or not)...

I've posted a poll question as to whether people think that the panda is worth saving...  This should be interesting...