Current Event #4: Panda Dies Suddenly in Chinese Zoo Amid Mistreatment Claims

A zoo in China is under scrutiny for the claims of one of their pandas dying because abuse. They tried putting the claim to rest by saying the panda was away for mating. They later affirmed the panda had died, but they refuse to give any more information until the autopsy report comes back.

This reminds me of last year in English class, we were studying the Rights of the Human Race; why does this not apply to animals? Yes, animals don't need some rights that humans have but they still should be treated fairly no matter what species or country they are from. It is sickening to me that the zoo would lie about the panda dying. They clearly have something to hide if they were not truthful to begin with.

 Sheilalau."Panda."  Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. Media Wiki, 12 December 2006.

                             Web. 23 Feb. 2014. < http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Panda_Cub_from_Wolong%2C_Sichuan%2C_China.JPG/800px-Panda_Cub_from_Wolong%2C_Sichuan%2C_China.JPG>

What is the central idea of the passage and how is it developed and refined throughout the selection? Use evidence from the selection to support your answer.

The central idea of this passage is, China's Zhengzhou Zoo lost one if it's pandas on February 9th and lied about it, "[the pandas] mental and physical health 'quickly deteriorated' and [the panda] died early on February 9th" (Chan). Visitors to the zoo said the panda "was fed a meager diet of corn cakes instead of a proper diet of bamboo" (Chan). These claims lead people to believe the panda was abused; the zoo lying does not help these claims disappear. The lies, in fact, make it seem like the zoo knows they are guilty of abuse and don't want people to know.


Chan, Wilfred. "Panda Die Feb. s Suddenly in Chinese Zoo Amid Mistreatment Claims." CNN. Turner Broadcasting System Inc,18 Feb. 2014. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. <http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/18/world/asia/panda-zoo-death-china/index.html?hpt=hp_bn2>



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Panda_Cub_from_Wolong,_Sichuan,_China.JPG