I would like love to adopt!Number: 12
Picture:
Name: Caper
Species: red panda
Personality: Caper is a mischievous little panda, and loves to mess with things. Often times, she goes a little bit overboard. Caper is slow to trust, but earning her trust is worth the effort. Once you have gotten to know her, Caper is actually a sweet, compassionate friend. Around her friends, Caper is a very goofy, rambunctious soul. But near strangers and people she does not trust, she gets a sort of stage fright, and is quiet as a mouse.
Likes: Caper loves to run as fast as she can, and watching the world roll by. Caper likes to climb the bamboo trees and look down at the world below her; it gives her a sense of power.
Dislikes: Caper hates to be in the center of attention, loud noises, and those who have no regards for others.
Background:One night in the forests of Burma, an oddly colored red panda was born to two proud parents. Caper, as the baby panda was named, had been curious and mischievous since birth. Caper could climb before she could walk, she could run before she could stand on her own two feet. She was a naturally born runner, this much was obvious. And on top of this, she had perfect vision, and unlike other red pandas, Caper could see in color. She also had a highly tuned sense of smell, and could smell a bamboo leaf a mile away. Caper had learned all these things on her own, she had no help or training from her own mother. These gifts were very special, and Caper was very grateful for them.
Caper lived happily with her mother and father until she was only 6 months old. One morning, she awoke from her spot in the bamboo tree to find that her mother had left her. Caper's mother had lost her instinct to recognize her own kin. Caper sat confused and lonely in her nest, wondering what she had done wrong. Caper looked hopelessly over the side of her nest, and cried "Mommy?" as though it may bring her mother back. When no reply was heard, Caper ducked back into her nest and cried her eyes out. It was this moment, her mother’s disregard, her mother’s selfishness, and her mother’s carelessly rebelling against god’s intentions for his creations. It was this moment that changed her life.
After an hour of sitting in her tree, Caper realized that she had to go out and find food for herself. Caper climbed down from the nest and began to run. She ran as though she would never run again. Caper looked only ahead and didn't dare look back. Watching the beautiful trees roll by her, and fellling the soft ground mold beneath her feet with every step, Caper ran. In record time, Caper reached the entrance to the thick bamboo forest. She meandered through the woods until she came to a tall stack of bamboo. As Caper peered over the top, she found a small sloth of red pandas feasting on fresh bamboo. An elder female peered over in Caper’s direction, and Caper ducked under her bamboo pile, afraid that she would hate Caper as her mother had. But, she had seen Caper. The elderly red panda came over to Caper and asked her “Are you lost, young thing?” Caper looked up at her with confused eyes, and the elder presented herself “My name is Kiki, and I am the elder of the sloth. I will show you around.” Caper met many new friends, one special friend in particular. Polly was a young red oanda of only 7 months. Polly introduced herself and took Caper over to the bamboo, despite Caper's fear that the other red pandas would not approve of her eating their bamboo. She reluctantly took a bamboo leaf from the pile, and she could feel the sloth's eyes on her. These stares however, were not stares of disgust or hatred, they were looks of kindness and sympathy. Caper began to feel welcome, and as though she may actually fit in among these knid red pandas.
For two years Caper lived happily among her new sloth. Caper was appointed “bamboo finder” which was quite an honor, especially for a youngling like her. With Caper as bamboo finder, the sloth had more food than ever before. Even at this young age, Caper would catch the smallest whiff of bamboo, and run toward it. Then, sly as a fox, Caper would climb up the bamboo tree, grab the bamboo, and run it back to the sloth. Caper watched over the years as the sloth members slowly became healthier and stronger. Caper couldn't help but think that maybe she had played a part in the prosperity of the sloth. Her only wish was to stay here and hunt bamboo forever.
But, one day, humans showed up in the forests, and were hunting for red pandas to take back to the zoo. Caper’s sloths had not heard the news, and were sitting around in their circle, eating bamboo as usual. Caper’s strong ears had detected the small sound of a bamboo twig snapping only 40 meters away from her sloth. Caper pricked her ears, and Polly was curious as to what she had heard. “What is it?” She asked. “Humans . . . they are near.” But unfortunately, the humans were too close for them to run and hide. Caper then felt a net over her head, and she was lifted off her feet, and up to the face of a human “What’s this? A blue panda?” said the human who was holding her in the net. As he locked Caper up in a cage, the other replied “That one must be worth a fortune; we could sell it to a zoo, or a circus!” And one of the humans shot her with a pointy metal thing that had a colorful fuzzball on top. The other red andas had told Caper that these were 'tranquilizer darts' and she should watch out for these. However, instead of putting up a fight as she should have, Caper allowed the dart to penetrate her skin. Before she slipped away, she could hear the human say “No, this one’s coat is much too beautiful. I think we should sell it to a laboratory”
When Caper awakened, she was among many other animals, none like her. She stood up, and walked forward. Caper felt something bump her forehead, but there was nothing in front of her. The dog in the cage next to her said “That is a glass case, you cannot get out. You will only be let out when the human take you to the back room. None have ever gone through those doors and returned.” Just as the dog had finished speaking, the big metal doors opened. A large, muscular human walked through the doors and down the aisle way. As he passed, all of the other animals squished themselves against the back of their cages, as if to get out that way. He stopped in front of Caper’s cage, pulled out noisy, jingly keys, and Caper flinched. That sound, that horrible sound! Caper couldn’t stand the sound of metal keys hitting each other frantically, out of rhythm, they sounded like a thousand cats dying instantaneously. He turned the keys, and opened the door t Caper’s cage. He reached his big meaty hands into Caper’s cage and pulled her out.
Once in the back room, Caper knew there was no escaping. The humans took pictures of her, and poked her with a tom of metal things that penetrated her body.”What are these?” Caper wondered every time they poked her with a needle. After what felt like a year, the large human brought the tiny scientist a large needle, filled with a metallic liquid. “I’m sorry gorgeous, but we cannot release you, you must go.” The large needle was only inches away from her leg when the doors were rammed down and tons of humans ran in. If Caper had not been tied down, she would have run as far as she could. “This is the police. You are being shut down for being inhumane and for running a laboratory without a license.”
Caper was untied and placed in another cage. Though this one was not metal, which she was thankful for. After the long drive in the back of a truck, Caper arrived at a place entitled ‘Tough as Nails Adoption Center.’ She was placed in a large, spacious kennel among some friendly looking animals. Caper knew that she was on her way to a better life.
A picture you drew: 