How much would you pay to get up close and personal with a panda?
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Not many people would dream of getting into a zoo enclosure with a wild animal - but at Edinburgh Zoo they see things a bit differently.
In fact, they're going as far as charging visitors £1,000 for the privilege.
The launch of a new "experience" at the zoo means that visitors now have the chance to get up close and personal with Britain's only pandas.
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For £1,000, you get to spend and hour in an exclusive private encounter with Tian Tian and Yang Guang, as well as a one-to-one meeting with a zoo keeper who will give you the lowdown on all their secret habits.
"People will be able to see the giant pandas at very close proximity in the private area of their enclosure - which isn't on show to the public," said Darren McGarry, Head of Animals at Edinburgh Zoo, at the launch.
Pandas are usually peaceful animals - they spend most of their time eating bamboo and sleeping. But there have been cases of pandas in captivity attacking humans.
Back in 2009, a panda at Beijing Zoo took a bite out of a visitor who inadvertently fell into the enclosure while trying to catch one of his young son's toys.
The same panda, named Gu Gu, had already bitten two other people: a 15-year-old boy who had climbed into the enclosure to get a closer look, and a drunk tourist who tried to give it a hug.
Of course, it's clear that Tian Tian and Yang Guang are far better behaved, but we're wondering just how many people are going to take the zoo up on its offer...
If you have a grand to spare and want to book a private panda encounter, you can call 0131 3140327 or visit rzss.org.uk.
What do you think of this story? Would you pay to give a panda a cuddle? Give us your opinions below!
World's deadliest animals
- Cape Buffalo<p> Many people might not realise that the cape buffalo is one of the most dangerous animals in Africa, and will react with force when it feels threatened. These beasts can weigh up to 1.5 tons and stand at 1.7 metres high; they're so intimidating that even lions don't usually consider them dinner. Cape buffalos will charge, and then gore its victim to death with its impressive horns.<br /> <strong>Kills:</strong> An estimated 200 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> These animals will charge and gore their victims to death with their huge horns.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> Africa</p>
- Venomous snakes<p> Out of the world's 2,000 species of snake, around 250 are thought to be capable of killing a man. The Asian cobra does not have the deadliest venom, but is believed to be responsible for the biggest portion of the thousands of snakebite deaths every year. In Africa, the black mamba is the largest venomous snake and, during an attack, can strike up to 12 times, each time delivering enough neuro and cardio-toxic venom to kill a dozen men within 1 hour.<br /> <strong>Kills:</strong> An estimated 50-125,000 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> A snake will use its fangs to pierce the skin and inject its paralysing venom.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> Africa, Asia, Australia, North America</p>
- Hippos<p> Although they might look cumbersome and cute, hippos are actually one of the most feared animals in Africa, and can outrun a human. When a male feels its territory is threatened, or a female thinks her offspring her in danger, these animals can be particularly dangerous. And with huge teeth and mouth that can open four feet wide, it's a good idea to steer clear.<br /> <strong>Kills:</strong> An estimated 100-150 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> Hippos will charge, trample and gore its victims, and have been known to upturn boats and canoes without warning.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> Africa</p>
- Box Jellyfish<p> Box jellyfish can have up to 60 tentacles as long as 15 feet. And each tentacle contains enough venom to kill 50 humans, making it one of the most venomous marine creatures in the world. If stung, a box jellyfish can kill a man within minutes.<br /> <strong>Kills: </strong>An estimated 100 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> Jellyfish use their tentacles to pump venom and paralyse its prey. Deaths in humans are usually a result of cardiac arrest.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> Northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.</p>
- Mosquitos<p> Apart from humans, the mosquito is the deadliest creature on the planet. It kills millions of people every year through the spread of diseases like malaria, yellow fever, and dengue fever. Many of the malaria victims are children under the age of five.<br /> <strong>Kills: </strong>Two to three million people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> Female mosquitos pierce the skin with serrated mouth parts, and inject a saliva with a thinning agent to liquidise the blood.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> Worldwide, more harmful in Africa, Asia and North America</p>
- Sharks<p> The great white shark, which can grow up to six metres in length and weigh up to five tons, seems to have the most ferocious reputation. But, while they have been known to attack humans, most of these incidents are thought to be 'test bites', where the animal is deciphering whether he wants to eat you. And, generally, they humans are not on the menu. It is thought the aggressive bull shark is responsible for the most attacks on people. Out of the 360 shark species, only four are known killers: the great white, the bull, tiger, and the oceanic white tip.<br /> <strong>Kills:</strong> An estimated 100 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> Sharks use their razor-sharp teeth to rip chunks out of its victims. Great whites usually take a big single bite, drag their victims into deeper waters, and wait until the prey bleeds to death before they eat it.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> Florida, Australia, Hawaii and South Africa.</p>
- Bears<p> The are lots of different species of bear, but the polar, black and grizzly are the deadliest. Native to the Arctic, polar bears could decapitate a human being with one swipe of their massive paws. Bears generally attack when they are hungry, so it's a good idea to keep food away from your camp.<br /> <strong>Kills: </strong>An estimated 5 to 10 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> Bear will use their teeth and claws to maul and trample their victims.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> North America, Canada, North Pole, and Russia.</p>
- Saltwater crocodiles<p> Crocodiles have been around for 200 million years, and are fearsome predators. The saltwater crocodile, or saltie, is the largest living reptile in the world, and can grow up to 21ft long and weigh 1.6 tons. These animals can run extremely fast on land, and, in the water, can swim as fast as dolphin. Many fatalities occur when people are washing or gathering food near river banks.<br /> <strong>Kills: </strong>An estimated 600-800 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> Crocodiles will grab their victims with terrifying speed, and often launch into a 'death roll', weakening its prey, dragging it under water and drowning the victim.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> Africa and Australia</p>
- Scorpions<p> Out of the 1,500 species of scorpion, the African spitting scorpion is thought to be the most deadly, and can spray its venom up to a metre. Arounf 25 species of scorpion are thought to be deadly to humans.<br /> <strong>Kills:</strong> An estimated 800-2,000 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> Scorpions use their tail stingers to paralyse their prey with venom.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> Worldwide; particularly Africa, the Americas and Central Asia.</p>
- Elephants<p> Weighing in at up to eight tons, although beautiful creatures, elephants can be lethal. African elephants in particular can be aggressive, especially older bulls and young males. These creatures, unsurprisingly, are more aggressive in areas where poaching is rife or when their habitat is threatened.<br /> <strong>Kills:</strong> An estimated 300-500 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique: </strong>Most human deaths are result of the elephant trampling on its victim.<br /> <strong>Lives in: </strong>Africa and India</p>
- Big cats<p> African lions are the biggest of the big cats, and are known to kill around 70 people in Tanzania alone every year. With the destruction of their habitat, human attacks by leopards in India, and the North American mountain lion are thought to be on the increase.<br /> <strong>Kills:</strong> An estimated 800 people a year.<br /> <strong>Deadly technique:</strong> African lions will often use strangulation to kill their prey, while tigers will attack from the back and aim for the jugular, and mountain lions will maul their victims.<br /> <strong>Lives in:</strong> Africa, North America, and India</p>
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