Futa (born 2003 in Shizuoka) is a male red panda (Ailurus fulgens) at the Chiba Zoological Park in Chiba, Japan. In 2005, he became a visitor attraction and a television celebrity in Japan for his ability to stand upright on his hind feet for about ten seconds at a time.
At the time, this feat drew about 6,000 visitors to the zoo each weekend and resulted in Futa's appearance in a soft drink television advertisement. Futa was still at it in 2020, aged 17, equivalent to a human age of 70.
Futa inspired the character of Pabu, an animal companion in the animated U.S. TV series The Legend of Korra.
In recent years, Futa's right eye was affected by cataract.
References
- レッサーパンダ風太くん、きょう二十歳 人なら80超、国内5番目の高齢 千葉市動物公園 [Red panda Futa turns 20 today Over 80 in human terms, the fifth oldest in Japan Chiba Zoo]. Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2025-01-05.
- "Photo in the News: Standing Panda Is Big in Japan". National Geographic. May 24, 2005. Archived from the original on May 29, 2005. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- ^ "Standing red panda becomes latest Japanese star". USA Today. 2 June 2005. Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- "Red panda Futa still standing for fans, and apples, at 17 yrs old". Mainichi Daily News. 2018-07-06. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
- Konietzko, Bryan (September 28, 2012). "Years ago, on the Avatar production, ..." Retrieved 29 September 2012.
- レッサーパンダの風太、国内最高齢２１歳に…立ち上がることなくても「自分のリズム」で来園者に笑顔 [Futa, a red panda, becomes the oldest person in Japan at 21 years old ... Even if you don't stand up, you can smile at visitors at your own rhythm]. Yomiuri Shimbun (in Japanese). 2024-07-06. Retrieved 2025-01-05.