Dannyland Who's Who: The Giant Pander

The Giant Pander, common throughout Dannyland in the early and middle parts of the 20th century, was once in decline. However, dedicated action by local political leaders, especially MHA's, has led to a revival in the fortunes of the Giant Pander throughout most of its native habitat.

Unlike its distant relatives in China, the Giant Pander of Dannyland cannot rely on bamboo for its diet. It subsists instead on a steady diet of carrots and sticks.

In Central Dannyland, the Giant Pander was seen earlier in this decade, loitering near the school in Bishop's Falls in the Exploits area. During the past year or so, it has also been a frequent visitor at the gate of the former paper mill in Grand Falls-Windsor, and at the health clinic in Lewisporte.

In the Labrador portion of Dannyland, the Giant Pander has been spotted at the site of the future hospital in Labrador West. Giant Pander sign has also been spotted along the length of the Trans-Labrador Highway, except in the southern areas. Wildlife officials believe that its preference for the Lake Melville and Labrador West regions is due to the lack of local "political leadership" in the region of Cartwright to L'anse au Clair.

In Western Dannyland, the Giant Pander has been reported in the vicinity of the Nicholsville Bridge in the Humber Valley, on the campus of Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook, and as far north as the clinic and x-ray lab in Flower's Cove in the Straits and White Bay North region.

Unfortunately, the Giant Pander is now known to be exterminated from the Northern Peninsula, probably through recent over-hunting. Local environmentalists will enlist the help of Sir Paul McCartney and Sarah McLaughlin to publicize the sad plight of the Giant Pander in this part of the world.

While the Giant Pander has lost some of its northern range, it is expanding into east-central Dannyland. A steady stream of Giant Pander sightings have been coming in throughout November month from the Terra Nova region. This area of Dannyland represents the best chance for the amateur naturalist and the research biologist alike to see the Dannyland Giant Pander in the wild, before it migrates to warmer regions for the winter.