Giant panda years ago) from the main ursine stock; since it is the most basal member of the group, it is equidistant from all other extant ursids. The giant panda has been referred to as a living fossil. Despite the shared name, habitat type, and diet, as well as a unique enlarged bone called the "pseudo thumb" (which helps them grip the bamboo shoots they eat) the giant panda and red panda are only distantly related. The word "panda" was borrowed into English from French, but no conclusive explanation of the origin of the French word "panda" has been found. The closest
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