Ling Ling (giant panda) is roughly equivalent to 70 years old for a human. According to the Ueno Zoo, Ling Ling was the oldest panda in Japan, as well as the fifth oldest known captive male panda in the world at the time of his death. Ling Ling's portrait and favorite food, bamboo shoots, were displayed in his cage following his death. Zoo visitors left bouquets of flowers and signed condolence registers. Ling Ling's death left the Ueno Zoo without a resident giant panda for the first time in 36 years; since October 1972 when two pandas, Kang Kang and Lan Lan, were given
Tai Shan (giant panda) quickly offered for sale on eBay and craigslist, with an asking price as high as $500 apiece. The cub became widely popular; he was frequently mentioned on D.C.-oriented websites, such as "DCist" and "Wonkette", as well as traditional media outlets, including National Public Radio, "The Washingtonian", "The Washington Post", and "The Washington Times". Fans set up sites selling cub-related merchandise, including one partnered with cafepress.com that donated approximately $1,900 in profits to the National Zoo. The panda cub was featured in an Animal Planet documentary titled "A Panda Is Born", which follows the National Zoo's giant panda breeding efforts and