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AROUND THE WORLD 1: Panda Stands on Two Feet

Tokyo visitors are being greeted by an upright lesser panda. Futa, a two-year-old male zoo panda, has the ability to stand on two feet for 10 seconds. Zookeepers say the feat is quite unusual for the species.

Futa weighs 15 pounds and is native to the mountains in China and the Himalayas. Unlike regular pandas, lesser pandas--or red pandas--are not black and white. Instead, they are brown with a striped tail. Lesser pandas are nocturnal animals who like to sleep in trees during the day. They enjoy eating bamboo, nuts and fruits.

The zookeepers hope Futa will mate with the other female lesser panda. If Futa and his mate have a cub, the cub will likely live at the zoo for 14 years.

--Written by Teresa Liao

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