Life in China 2016: A Picture A Day, September 11 – Have you heard the good news that giant pandas have been taken off the world’s endangered animals list? We don’t live in the part of China where pandas are native, but we have some in the zoos around us, and they are very much a part of the Chinese culture. And right now our local shopping plaza seems to have been taken over by pandas! Balloons flying high above the buildings, and little 2 foot high statues all around the plaza, some wearing clothes, some with bikes, some playing sports, and some just sitting around! Planters have new covers with panda designs as well as panda decals on the upper level glass railings! There’s even a nice spot set-up for taking pictures :-)