this post was submitted on 02 Jul 2026
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Animals
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The red pandas are very fun! I've also been a fan for a very long time and prefer them over the Giant Pandas. I believe a few places have programs where you can meet and feed them. I had planned to do that a few times, but birds of prey have really taken over my life.
The favorite time I visited a red panda must have been near what would be their mating season. This guy was on patrol all around his space and would walk up to whatever looked good to him and just grind his crotch all over it in very comical fashion. They have some scent glad there, so he was telling any male pandas who may wander into New York I think it was, to get lost, and to any random lady pandas he was single and looking!
And no worries about not being a traditional animal fan. I have a number of people subscribed to me that don't consider themselves big animal people, but they like my more educational focus and focus on conservation and wildlife rescue and rehab. I try to present things people haven't seen before and point out things that may be backyard hazards people are unaware of and all sorts of things like that. Either way, I'm glad you found something intriguing on this post!
Well, you're doing a good job. I know animal people (PETA, and otherwise) like to educate people on the important issues surrounding animals. But a lot of them make it their whole platform and it can be off-putting. But then you got people like Steve Irwin who can really draw a crowd and make people care. You seem like one of the good ones.
You mention birds of prey, I take it you've been following the friends of Big Bear Valley and the eagles and their eaglets? My wife is a big fan and watches it all the time. I've shown her how to cast wirelessly to the TV and turn it into a second monitor, and she could have the trail cam on the TV all the time while doing other stuff... she hasn't done it yet and I don't push it. I like showing it to people, but I wouldn't just watch it for more than a minute or two. The cam doesn't impress me that much. I saw a bald eagle in person a couple weeks ago, out in the wild. Now that was impressive. Seeing one in person is completely different, if you didn't know how big they are (wide their wingspan is). I mean, I'm sure YOU know, but I figure most people think they're just a bit bigger than hawks, and also underestimate the size of hawks, though they do vary. Not a bird watcher, just seen a few birds.
I try to get people fascinated by all the neat things about animals so they want to learn more on their own. It's finding that spark of interest that works for each of us differently. Especially for adults that don't feel close to animals or ones that think they know enough.
I haven't seen the Big Bear stream, I'll have to look at that. I got big into owls especially, and last year I started working at a wildlife rehab so I could work with them, and all the other animals. We have a resident unreleasable Bald Eagle and one patient that was treated for lead poison and an injured wing. They are very imposing birds! The Great Horned Owls and Red Tailed Hawks are already pretty big, but the eagle is on a whole other level!