Dill, Gherkin, and Jalapeño are the first offspring of the 90-year-old tortoise Mr. Pickles.
Credit: © Jackelin Reyna, Houston Zoo

Mr. Pickles, the 90-year-old radiated tortoise, now has three little tortoises to look after. Mr. Pickles and 53-year-old Mrs. Pickles live at the Houston Zoo in Texas. They welcomed Dill, Gherkin, and Jalapeño to their family in March. Radiated tortoises are native to Madagascar. They are a critically endangered species. Endangered species are living things threatened with extinction—that is, the dying off of all of their kind. Many zoos around the world have studied how to breed radiated tortoises to boost the population.

What’s the difference between a tortoise and a turtle? Tortoises are turtles that live only on land. Tortoises have stumpy hind legs and feet that look like those of an elephant, quite different from the flippers of sea turtles and the webbed feet of most freshwater turtles. Most tortoises have a high, domed shell. They pull their head, feet, and tail into the shell for protection from predators. Tortoises feed primarily on plants.

There are dozens of species of tortoises. Many live in hot, dry regions. Three species live in the United States. The desert tortoise is found in the deserts of the American Southwest. The Texas tortoise inhabits scrublands in southern Texas. The gopher tortoise lives in the sandhills of the Southeastern coastal plain. All three of these tortoises rest in burrows that they dig in the ground. Not all tortoises live in dry habitats. For example, the red-footed tortoise and the yellow-footed tortoise inhabit lowland tropical rain forests in South America.

Tortoises vary widely in size. One of the largest tortoises is the giant Galapagos tortoise, which lives on the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The largest Galapagos tortoises grow to 6 feet (1.8 meters) long. The speckled tortoises of southwestern Africa are among the smallest species. Speckled tortoises are only about 4 inches (10 centimeters) long when fully grown.

Like other turtles, tortoises lay their eggs in holes in the ground. When the eggs hatch, the young dig to the surface to fend for themselves. Most tortoises die in the first 10 years of life. Raccoons, foxes, and other predatory animals feed on tortoise eggs and young tortoises. Tortoises that survive the first several years can live an extremely long time. Some have lived more than 100 years in captivity.

Tortoise populations are declining quickly because people destroy the animal’s habitat and illegally kill tortoises for food. In addition, many tortoises die from diseases introduced by humans. Many countries forbid the capture or killing of tortoises.

These 2,500-year-old crocodile mummies were found at an Ancient Egyptian tomb on the Nile River.
Credit: Patri Mora Riudavets, Qubbat al-Hawā team (licensed under CC-BY 4.0)

See you later, alligator! In a while, crocodile. How long is a while? Try over two thousand years! In a recent dig in Qubbat al-Hawā, a burial site in Aswan, Egypt, archaeologists found 10 intact mummified crocodiles. We knew ancient Egyptians mummified their dead to be preserved for the afterlife, but why would they mummify crocodiles?

What does it mean to mummify? A mummy is a body that has been preserved through natural or artificial means. The most famous and elaborately prepared mummies are from Egypt. The ancient Egyptians mummified their dead because they believed the body had to be preserved for use in the afterlife. Egyptian embalmers prepared mummies by dehydrating (removing all moisture from) the body. The earliest Egyptian mummies were naturally preserved by being buried in hot, dry, desert sand. Around 4000 B.C., the Egyptians were experimenting with resin and linen wrappings to seal the body against moisture.

These 10 adult crocodiles lived nearly 2,500 years ago! They weren’t beloved pets mummified to join masters in the afterlife, they were a part of a ritual to the fertility deity Sobek. The crocodiles were found in a tomb on the west bank of the Nile River.

Sobek is portrayed with the head of a crocodile and the body of a man. Some ancient Egyptians believed he created order in the universe. He became associated with fertility. Crocodiles were very important to ancient Egyptian life. Ancient Egyptians ate crocodile meat and the fat of the crocodile was used for different medicines. Crocodiles live throughout the Nile River.

There have been other discoveries of mummified crocodiles. Most have them have been juvenile crocodiles or only pieces of remains. Egyptians mummified other animals as well. Archaezoologists, scientists who study animal remains at archeology sites, have found mummified cats, ibises, and baboons. This practice was an offering of the animal to the gods.

One of the crocodiles measured 7 feet long! The mummies had been wrapped in linen for preservation but it was eaten away by insects. There also wasn’t any resin securing the mummies, so the archeologists were able to study them in the site without having to use advanced technology like CT scans and X-rays. They think the crocodiles were mummified naturally by being buried in hot, dry sand. The researchers estimate that the crocodiles were entombed between 332 BC and 30 BC. They will radiocarbon date and study the DNA of the crocodiles to learn more. The archeologists studied the remains and concluded that there were two different species of crocodiles represented in the tomb. Some were Nile crocodiles and others were West African crocodiles. The discovery has added to our knowledge of ancient Egyptian culture, beliefs, and practices.

Beekeepers wear protective veils. Light-colored clothes help provide protection from stings. A few experienced beekeepers handle the bees and honeycombs with their bare hands.
Credit: © Shutterstock

You may have heard the phrase “Save the bees” before, but a vaccine for bees? That is something new! Honeybees in the United States have faced diseases and pests that have decimated the population. Bees are important and affect our daily lives. Bees pollinate plants and flowers, giving us food, medicine, and of course, pretty flowers. Recently, scientists at the Dalan Animal Health based in Athens, Georgia, created a vaccine to save the bees for real!

What is the vaccine for? We know about vaccines for the flu and COVID-19, this vaccine protects bees against American foulbrood. Since American foulbrood is caused by bacteria, the scientists figured out how to put the dead bacteria in the vaccine. When American foulbrood infects a hive, it causes the larva to be darker and gives the entire hive a rotten smell. American foulbrood can spread from hive to hive, wiping out colonies of 60,000 bees.

How do the scientists give the bees the vaccine? No, it isn’t a shot, and they will not have to invent little bandaids for the bees. The scientists put the dead bacteria into royal jelly, which is a sugar feed the queen bees eat. This process exposes the queen bee’s future offspring to the bacteria so the bees can make antibodies. Antibodies are proteins that help the immune system fight off bacteria and viruses.

A typical honey bee colony may include tens of thousands of workers. This photograph shows workers tending to honey stored in the cells of a honeycomb.
Credit: © StudioSmart/Shutterstock

Honeybees are important. They are vital to agriculture around the world. Without bees, the world would deal with more food scarcity. During their food-gathering flights, bees spread pollen from one flower to another, thus pollinating (fertilizing) the plants they visit. This allows the plants to reproduce. Numerous wild plants and such important food crops as fruits and vegetables depend on bees for fertilization. Honeybees pollinate nearly one-third of all food crops grown in the United States. Popular crops like almonds, apples, cherries, and pears require pollination from bees. Nearly three-quarters of all flowering plants rely on pollination from bees and other pollinators like butterflies and moths.

American foulbrood isn’t the only bee enemy. Bees are also declining in population due to climate change, disease, habitat loss, and pesticides. Beekeepers have given entire hives antibiotics to fight off diseases. However, the use of antibiotics can decrease beneficial bacteria and weaken the bees. Animals, mites, and human activities all threaten bees worldwide. There is also a disorder called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), an unusual condition that destroys hundreds of thousands of honey bee colonies each year in the United States. While the vaccine protects against American foulbrood, bees are also in danger of dying from European foulbrood. Diseases caused by fungi, such as Nosema disease, are also a threat to bees. Scientists hope the success of this vaccine will lead to others protecting the future of the bees!

Teddy bears are stuffed toy bears. These bears, on display in a toy shop, were made by the German-based Steiff company, one of the earliest makers of teddy bears.
Credit: © Oramstock/Alamy Images

The largest collection of teddy bears in the world includes 20,367 teddy bears! The largest teddy bear in the world is 63 feet 8 inches (19.41 meters) long. Around 50 million teddy bears are gifted in the United States alone each year. Today, November 14, is National Teddy Bear Day. Teddy bears have been a popular stuffed toy animal for over one hundred years. But why are they called teddy bears? And how did they become so popular?

Teddy bears were first made in the early 1900’s and named after United States President Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt’s nickname was Teddy. Now, the first teddy bear was not a toy for him, he was born in 1858! It is said that it all started on a hunting trip. Don’t worry, no bears were harmed in the creation of the first teddy bear!

In 1902, Roosevelt was on a hunting trip in Mississippi. A guide had caught and tied up a bear for the president to shoot. But Roosevelt refused to shoot the bear. The American artist Clifford Berryman drew a cartoon for The Washington Star showing the incident. After the cartoon was published, people began calling the captured bear “Teddy’s bear.”

While that story explains where the name came from, we don’t know for sure who made the first ever stuffed animal teddy bear. Two companies both claim to have made the first teddy bear—Steiff, a German-based company, and the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company of the United States.

Margarete Steiff, the founder of Steiff, began producing stuffed animals made of felt in her workshop in Germany in 1880. In 1902, her nephew Richard designed a stuffed plush bear. An American placed a large order for the bears, and they soon came to be called teddy bears.

In New York City in 1902, the Russian-born shopkeeper Morris Michtom saw Berryman’s cartoon. Michtom’s wife, Rose, sewed a stuffed bear that Morris placed in the window of their novelty store. Soon, the Michtoms were selling a large number of the stuffed bears. They claimed they had a letter from President Roosevelt giving them permission to name the bears after him, though the letter has never been found. The Michtoms founded the Ideal Novelty and Toy Company in 1907.

The first teddy bear by Ideal was made of brown plush and had jointed arms and legs and shoe-button eyes. It had a small head with a long snout, and a long body. The teddy bear became an extremely popular toy. Other companies copied the toy, producing teddy bears in different styles and sizes.

Over the years, many popular characters from books have been made into stuffed teddy bears, including Winnie-the-Pooh, Paddington Bear, and Corduroy. Teddy bears made popular by television cartoons include Yogi Bear from the 1960’s and the Care Bears from the 1980’s through 2000’s. Teddy Ruxpin, a stuffed bear introduced in the 1980’s, was able to “speak.” Prerecorded audio tapes were inserted in its back. Beginning in the late 1990’s, people could have a teddy bear made for them at stores that assemble the toys on site. Customers choose various features and accessories for the made-to-order bears.

There are over 11 breeds of cats that can have black fur. The American shorthair, Bombay, British shorthair, Chantilly-Tiffany, Cornish Rex, Maine Coon, and Persian breeds are the most popular black cats.
Credit: © Eric Isselee, Shutterstock

Black cats are everywhere in Halloween decorations and movies. They are said to bring bad luck if you cross paths with them. But how did black cats become linked with the spooky, scary and unlucky? Somehow black cats got wrapped up in superstitions, joining ladders, spilled salt, broken mirrors, and open umbrellas indoors. However, in many cultures throughout history, black cats have been considered good luck.

There are over 11 breeds of cats that can have black fur. The American shorthair, Bombay, British shorthair, Chantilly-Tiffany, Cornish Rex, Maine Coon, and Persian breeds are the most popular black cats. Cats are a favorite pet of people around the world. Cats are intelligent and have an independent nature. These small animals can also be playful and entertaining. Many cats make affectionate, loyal pets, providing companionship for people of all ages. Tens of millions of cats are kept as pets worldwide. Surprisingly, cats were not always popular pets!

In Europe during the Middle Ages, the cat was considered a symbol of evil. Superstitious people associated the cat with witchcraft and the Devil. For this reason, people killed hundreds of thousands of cats. Although all cats were thought to be evil, black cats with their mysterious black fur contrasting with their yellow eyes were thought to be more evil than other cats. Black cats were believed to gather around witches, a superstition that stuck around for many years.

Experts believe that the destruction of so many cats led to a huge increase in the rat population of Europe and contributed to the spread of the Black Death, an epidemic of plague. This disease is transmitted to people by rat fleas. In the 1300′s, it killed from one-fourth to one-half of the people who lived in Europe. By the 1600′s, Europeans had begun to realize once again the importance of cats in controlling rodents. Cats gradually regained popularity. European explorers, colonists, and traders brought domestic cats to the New World during the 1600′s and 1700′s. Throughout the 1800′s, settlers took cats with them as they moved westward. Most cats in the United States and Canada today are descendants of these cats.

It is also said that in parts of in England, Ireland, Japan, and Scotland black cats were considered good luck. They were thought to bring prosperity and even love. Sailors often brought cats on ships to kill mice and rats that stowaway and eat their food supplies. They believed black cats brought good weather and a safe return home. They favored them over other kinds of cats.

Long before the Middle Ages, Egyptians worshiped Bastet, a cat goddess in the mythology of ancient Egypt. By about 1000 B.C., keeping cats as house pets became common. By this time, Bastet was usually represented as a woman with a cat’s head. Bastet became associated with fertility, love, and motherhood as her worship spread to other places in Egypt. She often carried a sistrum. The sistrum is a sacred rattle believed to keep evil away. Egyptians revered darker cats due to their resemblance to Bastet.

Black cats help scientists understand diseases. Researchers at the National Institute of Health discovered that black cats have genetic mutations that can make them disease resistant. Cats can get the same diseases that humans do including Alzheimer’s and cancer. Scientists study black cats to learn how to prevent and fight off these diseases in humans. Seems like black cats are pretty helpful!

The sloth is an animal that uses its claws to hang from branches.
Credit: © Michael Fogden, Bruce Coleman, Inc.

Slow down and wait a minute! Today is International Sloth Day, a day to slow our speed and appreciate the world’s slowest mammal. While many species evolve to eat more, sloths have done the opposite! They evolved in a way that allows them to eat less and survive just by slowing down.

A sloth is a mammal that has a slow and peculiar way of moving. Sloths spend nearly all of their time in rain forest trees in Central and South America, where they travel upside down, hanging from branches with their hooklike claws. Hanging upside down requires almost no energy for a sloth. They can fall asleep in this position and may even stay suspended in the trees for some time after they die. There are two main groups of sloths. One is two-toed and the other is three-toed.

All sloths have small heads, and their noses are blunt. They have peglike teeth. Two-toed sloths also have large sharp teeth at the front of the mouth. Both measure 15 to 30 inches (38 to 76 centimeters) long and weigh 5 to 23 pounds (2.3 to 10.5 kilograms). Their long, coarse fur grows in the opposite direction as that of other mammals, from the stomach towards the back. This allows rain water to easily drain off the body as the sloth hangs. The fur ranges from grayish to brownish in color, which makes them hard to see among the branches.

Sloths turn green in the rainy season from algae that grows in their fur. This helps the sloth blend into the rain forest and protects it from large birds of prey, such as the harpy eagle, and big cats. Sloth fur also provides a home to a variety of invertebrates (animals without backbones) — some of which are found nowhere else on earth. A single sloth can host more than 100 moths and other insects within its fur.

Sloths get little energy from their diet, feeding mostly on leaves. Two-toed sloths may also eat fruits and flowers. They need relatively little food and have a lower rate of metabolism than do other mammals of similar size. Metabolism is the process by which living things turn food into energy. In order to save energy, sloths do not regulate their body temperature like other mammals. They have a lower body temperature than most mammals, which varies with the environmental conditions.

A sloth can take up to 30 days to digest a single leaf. As a result, they have a constantly full stomach. Sloths climb down to the forest floor to defecate (eliminate wastes) about once a week. They can lose up to a third of their body weight in one sitting. Sloths are surprisingly good swimmers. During the rainy season they can swim about three times faster than they can move on the ground.

Although commonly grouped together, the two types of sloths are actually very different animals with very different lifestyles. Two-toed sloths are slightly larger, more active, have a broader diet, and are generally faster-moving than the three-toed sloth. They have brown hair with a long, pinkish, piglike snout. Three-toed sloths have gray hair, a white face and a dark mask around the eyes. Two-toed sloths are primarily active at night, while three-toed sloths are active throughout the day and night. Although almost all mammals possess seven cervical (neck) vertebrae as standard, sloths are one of the few mammals that do not. Two-toed sloths retain only five to seven cervical vertebrae, while three-toed sloths have eight or nine. This unusual trait enables three-toed sloths to turn their head through 270 degrees. This allows them to look for predators and to see the world right side up, while hanging upside down. Sloths can live up to about 30 years.

A saltwater crocodile attacks a feral pig in Australia
Credit: © Adam Britton, Media Drum World/Alamy Images

Normally invasive species get a bad reputation. They take over ecosystems, reproducing unchecked by predators and eating the native species’ food. The cane toad, native to Central and South America, has dominated regions of Australia, the Caribbean Islands, Florida, Hawaii, Japan, New Guinea, and the Philippines. Zebra mussels hopped aboard a ship in the Caspian Sea and have since clogged up the Great Lakes in the United States. Asian tiger mosquitoes, Burmese pythons, stink bugs, and Japanese beetles also wreak havoc in their new neighborhoods. However, in Australia, there is a plot twist in the invasive species narrative.

The feral pig was taking over Australia beating out livestock for food, damaging fences and water sources, and eating crops before harvest. The pigs were brought by European settlers in the late 1700’s. They soon took over and bred throughout the country. Scientists were beginning to worry the feral pigs would put the ecosystems past the brink of return. Then, the saltwater crocodile stepped in.

Saltwater crocodile
© Firepac, Shutterstock

The saltwater crocodile is the largest living reptile and one of the most fearsome predators on Earth. Adults can reach lengths of 23 feet (7 meters) and weighs of over 1 ton (0.9 metric tons). The saltwater crocodile has a long, low, sausage-shaped body; short legs; and a long, powerful tail, which it uses to swim. It also has a tough hide, a long snout, and sharp teeth to grasp its prey. Saltwater crocodiles have lived on the coasts of northern Australia and Southeast Asia, and on the islands between for millions of years. The saltwater crocodile is also called the estuarine crocodile and the Indo-Pacific crocodile. In Australia, it is informally called the “saltie.”

A saltwater crocodile’s diet depends greatly on its age and size. Young individuals eat crustaceans, insects, rats, and small fish. As saltwater crocodiles grow, they take increasingly larger prey, including sharks and water buffalo. Large adults may attack humans if an opportunity presents itself. The crocodile has had a menu change in recent years, giving a new meaning to the term “piggy bank.” They have recently taken to feral pigs, snatching them up when they go to the water to drink. Pork is on the menu and seems to be a permanent a-la-carte item.

Adult saltwater crocodiles have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom. They can close their jaws with approximately 3,700 pounds per square inch of force. In contrast, human bite force is only about 200 pounds per square inch. Those pigs do not stand a chance if the crocodiles hit the mark on the first bite!

Because they present a danger to humans, saltwater crocodiles are sometimes feared and hated by people. In northern Australia, they were hunted almost to extinction before a 1970 hunting ban enabled populations to recover. Like most other crocodiles, saltwater crocodiles are threatened by hunting, invasive species, habitat loss, and pollution. Governments across the saltwater crocodile’s range work to educate people on how to avoid attacks. Scientists in Australia studied the carbon and nitrogen isotopes in bone samples of crocodiles comparing today’s crocodiles to those from almost one hundred years ago. The study found that feral pigs had become the primary food source in the last 50 years. This finding reveals that although crocodiles used to mainly eat aquatic prey, they have adapted to eat mostly prey that lives on land! The crocodiles seem to be making a comeback with their new diet. This invasive species helped out an endangered species! You will be here for a while, crocodile!

Illustration of a Megalodon shark and great white shark shown for scale
Credit: © Christian Darkin, Science Source

Arriving at the tail end of a long de-bait, scientists have figured out what happened to the megalodons that used to swim in our oceans. Megalodons were the largest sharks that ever lived, reaching an estimated 52 feet (16 meters) long. Megalodon, which means big tooth, lived from about 17 million to 2 million years ago. The fate of the megalodon has stumped scientists and enthusiasts for ages. How did such a powerful and monstrous shark die out?

The megalodon was a powerful predator (hunting animal). Its jaws may have reached about 6 1/2 feet (2 meters) across. Scientists believe it had an exceptionally strong bite. Megalodon’s largest teeth measure about 7 inches (17 centimeters) along their edges. They rank as the largest shark teeth known. A new finding made a splash in the headlines, revealing just how this monster shark became extinct. Extinction occurs when every member of a species (kind) of living thing has died.

The great white shark, shown here, is one of the most dangerous sharks. It has many sharp, triangular teeth. The great white shark can grow to more than 21 feet (6.4 meters) in length.
Credit: © Shutterstock

A new study has shown that maybe those big teeth didn’t help these large predators out much. After studying zinc isotopes in fossils of teeth from great white sharks and megalodons, the scientists reported that great white sharks and megalodons competed for food. Zinc isotopes in teeth reveal where the animal lies on the food chain. When teeth have low levels of zinc, that means the animal is higher on the food chain. The great white shark and megalodon tooth fossils had the same range of zinc isotopes. The two sharks were not chums, they were biting into the same prey! In a feeding frenzy, the great white sharks won, leaving the great big megalodons hungry.

While the great white shark is one of the most dangerous sharks, they can only grow to a little more than 21 feet (6.4 meters) in length. So the megalodon had about 30 feet (9 meters) on them! Unlike most other sharks, great white sharks have warm blood and warm muscles. These characteristics make them faster and stronger than most other sharks. Great white sharks have sharp, triangular teeth with jagged edges. They can rip chunks of flesh from seals and sea lions, two of their favorite prey. It looks like baby shark beat out the bigger shark!

Dogs are playful animals that have lived with people as pets for more than 10,000 years, longer than any other animal. 
Credit: © Jean Frooms, Shutterstock

Today, May 20, is National Rescue Dog Day! You probably know a rescue dog in your neighborhood. Dogs are considered rescue dogs when they are adopted from shelters, humane societies, or found in unfortunate situations. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (ASPCA) reports over 3.3 million dogs enter shelters in the United States every year. They take in dogs of all sizes, breeds, ages, and colors.

Dogs have lived with people as pets for more than 14,000 years, longer than any other animal. During that time, breeders have developed about 400 dog breeds to perform various tasks, provide companionship, and please the human eye.

Pets depend on their owners
Credit: (c) Ariel Skelley, Corbis

If you are looking to get a dog, you have many options. You can find a breeder and buy a purebred or designer dog. You can also adopt a dog from a shelter! The chief advantage of selecting a purebred pup is that you know how the dog will look when it is grown. Purebred dogs, however, suffer from many inherited diseases. For this reason, you should buy a purebred dog only from an experienced breeder with a good reputation. You should also find out as much as you can about the dog’s parents and their ancestors. A veterinarian may also recommend good breeders and help you choose a healthy dog. Be careful where you look for a puppy, because you might end up supporting a puppy mill. Puppy mills are breeding facilities that can cause suffering to dogs through overbreeding and neglect. Overbreeding and neglect are considered animal cruelty.

If you aren’t committed to a certain breed, you can find a companion in a mixed-breed dog. The best thing about mixed-breed dogs is that each one is unique. Mutts come in every size, shape, and color. However, it may be difficult to predict the adult size and appearance of a mixed-breed puppy. Humane societies and animal shelters have good selections of mixed-breed dogs. Adopting an adult or senior dog can save the dog’s life. You can offer the dog a safe and loving home for the rest of its years.

Rescue dogs have sometimes gone through traumatic situations and may take time and patience to calm down. National Rescue Dog Day was founded by Lisa Wiehebrink after she rescued her dog Cooper from a shelter in Los Angeles, California. Before he was adopted, Cooper was found in an abandoned lot. Under Wiehebrink’s care, Cooper became a loving, fun, and loyal pet. She decided more people should know how many rescue dogs need a caring home. It is estimated that more than 1 million rescue dogs are euthanized in the United States every year because shelters become overcrowded. You can save a dog’s life by heading to your local shelter to adopt a tail-wagging rescue dog!

If you want to help out a rescue dog today, check out your local animal shelter. You can volunteer, donate supplies such as dog food or dog beds, adopt a dog, or foster a dog. When you foster a dog, you take care of it in your home until someone adopts it, making sure the shelters have enough room to care for all the abandoned dogs in a safe, healthy, and loving manner. If you rescue a dog, you might end up asking yourself “Who rescued who?”

Disney and Pixar’s animated movie Turning Red (2022)
Credit: © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

What’s red, fluffy, and loves boy bands? Pixar’s newest movie Turning Red is a big hit shining a spotlight on red pandas. Turning Red is an animated motion picture released by Pixar Animation Studios and the Walt Disney Company in 2022. It tells the story of a young Chinese-Canadian girl who discovers she can shapeshift into a red panda. The movie is set in Toronto. It was the first Pixar movie created by an all-woman leadership team.

Turning Red tells the story of the Chinese-Canadian 13-year-old Meilin “Mei” Lee, who lives in Toronto. Mei’s family includes her mother, Ming, and father, Jin. They maintain a Chinese temple dedicated to their ancestor Sun Yee. Mei works to balance pleasing her mother and being herself with her friends Abby Park, Miriam Mendelsohn, and Priya Mangal. Mei and her friends obsess over a boy band called 4*TOWN. After Ming embarrasses her daughter, Mei has a nightmare about red pandas and wakes up transformed into a giant red panda. Mei hides her transformation from her parents. But, she cannot keep her newfound ability hidden for long, and its discovery leads her to secrets in her family’s past.

The Lee family is voiced by Rosalie Chiang (Mei); Sandra Oh (Ming); Orion Lee (Jin); and Wai Ching Ho (Mei’s grandmother Wu). Mei’s friends are voiced by Hyein Park (Abby); Ava Morse (Miriam); and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan (Priya).

The film was directed by the Chinese-Canadian animator and screenwriter Domee Shi and the American playwright and television writer Julia Cho. The American actor and producer Lindsey Collins produced the film.

The film’s soundtrack, also released in 2022, features original songs written and composed by the Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson. The American singer-songwriter siblings Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell wrote three original songs performed by 4*TOWN in the film.

In real life, red pandas are adorable and unique creatures. A red panda is a medium-sized mammal with a red coat and a long, ringed tail. The red panda is also called the lesser panda, in reference to the much larger giant panda. Red pandas are not closely related to giant pandas or any other living animal. Red pandas live in bamboo forests on upper mountain slopes. Red pandas are arboreal—that is, they live in trees. A red panda has adaptations that allow it to climb trees easily including its tail for balancing and flexible ankles which allow it to climb headfirst down trees. They are found in parts of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.

Human population growth in the Himalayan region threatens the habitat of the red panda. Deforestation has reduced the area where red pandas live in the wild. Red pandas are in danger of dying out completely. They are protected by national and international laws. Scientists and wildlife officials have worked to help ensure the pandas’ survival by protecting their habitat and breeding them in zoos.