Business or conservation?

Welcome one and all to this, your very own 2012! If we seem a little perky for what would ordinarily be a time of year bogged down in the post-party misery of a stupendous hangover – then we can only suggest that is because we think we have a new cure for overindulgence.

Our balm, rather than being pharmaceutical or gastronomical in origin is, in fact, zoological. We have discovered, quite by accident, the following: It is all but impossible to not have ones spirits lifted by simply looking at a picture of a giant panda. Not a cure perhaps, but certainly a cerebral ointment to smooth out the creases of excess.

Seem ridiculous? We quite agree, yet for the Science Lite desk it has worked wonders ever since we arrived, somewhat mentally bruised, after the holiday season to our Editor’s demands that we ‘write something entertaining about the pandas in Edinburgh’.

The pandas of which he spoke were of course Tian Tian and Yang Guang – the first giant pandas to arrive in the UK for 17 years. After their flight from the Bifengxia Panda Base in China to Edinburgh Zoo the pair were said to be ‘very well, but jet lagged’.

It was this that initially tweaked our interest. It does beg the question – how do you spot jet lag in an animal famed for its sedentary life style? A very tough call for the animal handlers and vets no doubt.

But why is it that the mere sight of a panda can calm the frayed faculties of the weary? Perhaps it is their majestic calmness, perhaps the simplistic life of bamboo and fresh air appeals, we happen to think it is no more or less than their appearance. They don’t look like a species that has evolved, but rather one that has been drawn. By a child. Much like a duck-billed platypus, their form – in all its monotone glory – seems to follow the broad brush strokes of a fun-filled art class rather than embody the subtleties of evolution. This, we think, is why we like them so much – they show that nature can have a sense of humour.

However whatever relief came from the sight of a giant panda was swiftly replaced with a degree of disgust as we discovered that their arrival in the UK was not so much about the science of conservation, but the politics of trade.

Shortly after the arrival of the pandas, First Minister Alex Salmond happened to find himself in China to discuss business links and personally thanked Chinese Vice Premier Li      Keqiang for the ‘generous gift’ of the pair of pandas. Business and pandas? Does this represent a new model of commerce? In the awkward merger of Chinese communism with the capitalism of the West, does the offering up of national treasures grease the skids of international economics?

Amazingly enough this could be exactly what is going on. China has a long history of using pandas as diplomatic gifts – it is even termed ‘Panda Diplomacy’.

Yet with news that conservationists have reached the conclusion that only species which can be realistically saved should be focused on by conservation efforts – and the giant panda is not among these – surely making a trade offering such as this is in awful taste. Without question the staff of Edinburgh Zoo will have only the panda’s interests at heart but the giant panda is among the world’s most adored rare animals – let’s not belittle its dignity by allowing politicians to frame any conservation efforts in a context of global trade. This won’t help the giant panda’s long term survival and if nothing else – it would be a shame to loose such a wonderful hangover comforter.