ElyaDatabase ID Number: T003

Creator: E. Elena Songster, Saint Mary’s College of California

As one of the most broadly recognized and adored animals, the giant panda has been called upon to serve as ambassador for China and advocate for nature protection. Dr. Elena Songster’s talk examined the history of the emergence of the giant panda as a national icon and the impact it has had on foreign policy and the natural environment. What does the panda as a national icon and the impact it has had on foreign policy and the natural environment. What does the future hold for this animal and its multifaceted role as a species and a symbol? E. Elena Songster’s book’s published by Oxford University Press in 2018.