A zoo in southwestern China is making headlines for turning one of its pandas’ feces into enviable souvenirs.
The unusual gimmick at the Yunnan Wild Animal Park in Kunming, Yunnan province apparently came in celebration of the 5th birthday of panda Mao Zhu.
Speaking to Pear Video, a zookeeper shared that Mao Zhu’s feces have been turned into various items, including paper and undigested bamboo shoots preserved in amber. According to the zookeeper, panda poop emits a favorable aroma on its first day after excretion.
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Interestingly, the zookeeper pointed out that because the souvenirs contain panda genes, they are gifts and not for sale, which confused some netizens.
In 2017, tissue paper made from panda feces was an online bestseller, the Global Times noted. The unconventional souvenirs drew mixed reactions on Weibo: “Panda: ‘Look, I’m so valuable.'”
“What about a lottery? I want this!”
“Are they afraid that this panda might be cloned?”
“Are y’all sick? Is this some kind of excessive worship?”
“They’re not for sale but they can be gifts? Does this make any sense?”