Futa (red panda)

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Futa in 2005 Red panda fuuta.jpg
Futa in 2005

Futa (born 2003 in Shizuoka [1] ) is a male red panda (Ailurus fulgens) at the Chiba Zoological Park in Chiba, Japan. In 2005, he became a visitor attraction and a television celebrity in Japan for his ability to stand upright on his hind feet for about ten seconds at a time. [2] [3]

At the time, this feat drew about 6,000 visitors to the zoo each weekend and resulted in Futa's appearance in a soft drink television advertisement. [3] Futa was still at it in 2020, aged 17, equivalent to a human age of 70. [4]

Futa inspired the character of Pabu, an animal companion in the animated U.S. TV series The Legend of Korra . [5]

In recent years, Futa's right eye was affected by cataract. [6]

References

  1. ↑ レッサーパンダ風太くん、きょう二十歳 人なら80超、国内5番目の高齢 千葉市動物公園 [Red panda Futa turns 20 today Over 80 in human terms, the fifth oldest in Japan Chiba Zoo]. Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
  2. ↑ "Photo in the News: Standing Panda Is Big in Japan". National Geographic . May 24, 2005. Archived from the original on May 29, 2005. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Standing red panda becomes latest Japanese star". USA Today . 2 June 2005. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  4. ↑ "Red panda Futa still standing for fans, and apples, at 17 yrs old". Mainichi Daily News. 2018-07-06. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  5. ↑ Konietzko, Bryan (September 28, 2012). "Years ago, on the Avatar production, ..." Retrieved 29 September 2012.
  6. ↑ レッサーパンダの風太、国内最高齢２１歳に…立ち上がることなくても「自分のリズム」で来園者に笑顔 [Futa, a red panda, becomes the oldest person in Japan at 21 years old ... Even if you don't stand up, you can smile at visitors at your own rhythm]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 2024-07-06. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
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