Thailand produces panda poop paper

moomies · November 25th, 2006, 05:02 AM

Panda poop paper yields profits for Thai keepers

CHIANG MAI, Thailand -- There's the Panda Express fast-food chain. Jing Jing, a mascot for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The forthcoming animated movie, Kung Fu Panda. Even a Mexican rock band named after the cuddly bear.
Not to be outdone, Thailand has come up with yet another, seemingly unlikely way to capitalize on this globally loved, bamboo-munching animal -- panda poop.
When keepers of the country's panda couple -- Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui -- got tired of disposing the 25 kilograms of feces daily produced by the duo, Prasertsak Buntragulpoontawee came up with the idea of turning it all into notebooks, fans, bookmarks and key chains.
"At first the Chinese were very skeptical," says the head of Chiang Mai Zoo's panda unit, referring to the proprietary attitude China takes toward its iconic animal.
But the multicolored paper products have proved hot selling-items at the zoo, with the 300,000 baht (US$8,200) earned to date helping balance the accounts of panda keeping.
The Thai government pays US$250,000 a year to China's Wulong Panda Research Institute to rent the pandas, who, depending on the weather, reside in either a US$1 million air-conditioned cage or an extensive, fan-cooled outdoor enclosure ringed by a mini-replica of China's Great Wall.
Panda poop paper production involves a daylong process of cleaning the feces, boiling it in a soda solution, bleaching it with chlorine and drying it under the sun. Experimentation continues on how to reduce the chemicals now used.
Prasertsak says he was inspired by sa paper, or mulberry leaf paper, a traditional, local product which has proved a highly popular gift item in recent years.
"We tried selling it on markets outside but so far with not so much success," he says. "But in the zoo, when people see real pandas and then their product they're excited and buy." (AP)
November 23, 2006

http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/waiwai...dm033000c.html

pinkbunnyslippers · November 25th, 2006, 06:26 PM

...now we know where shitty books come from.

JamieElizabeth · November 25th, 2006, 07:41 PM

That is gross, but it's smart since they're able to really do that! Turning poo into paper, who'd ever of thought...

Grimmlok · November 26th, 2006, 01:47 AM

I hope I never get a panda poop memo.

moomies · November 26th, 2006, 04:20 AM

I already sent you one Grims.

panda · November 26th, 2006, 01:03 PM

well, their poop is from bamboo, and they are not meat eaters, so it shouldn't be that nasty. just so the paper doesn't stink I'd probably buy some if the money goes to help the bears!

edited to say I'm a nurse and it takes a h*ll of a lot worse than poop to gross me out!

Quote:

Originally Posted by moomies

I already sent you one Grims.

hee hee!

Mooms, those pics of Nikki are so hot! I had such a crush on him back in the day! He's still smokin' hot!

moomies · November 26th, 2006, 02:34 PM

Oh I know Panda! I'm so looking forward to their concert next month

He's aging really well.

KrisNine · November 29th, 2006, 05:21 PM

Panda poop doesn't stink at all

I know someone that works with pandas and they said the poop doesn't smell...neither do the pandas

Must be the bamboo diet, huh Panda???

pinkbunnyslippers · December 4th, 2006, 01:33 AM

It isn't like its pure bamboo. It has stomach acids and stuff in it.

panda · December 7th, 2006, 12:09 AM

I've read pandas are very clean and again, not meat eaters, so the feces won't be so nasty! They are so precious! Our Atlanta baby girl is thriving and will be getting her name on Dec. 15th! She is adorable!

Quote:

Originally Posted by KrisNine

Panda poop doesn't stink at all

I know someone that works with pandas and they said the poop doesn't smell...neither do the pandas

Must be the bamboo diet, huh Panda???

I would love to hear all about your friend's job working with pandas! What an incredible job! They are so lucky! If I had that job, I'd hop out of bed singing with glee every day! hee hee!