[Photos] 1,600 Papier-Mâché Pandas Invade Asia

Artist Paulo Grangeon began making papier-mâché pandas back in 2008 to support World Wild Life Fund activities in Europe. While popular on his home continent, he had no idea the excitement they would trigger when he brought them to Asia last month.

After successful exhibitors in Europe, Taipei authorities asked Grangeon to produce a set of 1,600 (the estimated number of pandas remaining in the wild) along with 200 Fomosan black bears and a single green tree frog.

The pandas, which range from 5 to 18 inches (13 – 45 cm) in height, became overnight celebrities with kilometer-long lines forming with those wanting to take pictures (presumably selfies) with them.

Even the subtropical rain couldn’t stop the march of pandas as the government produced raincoats and bamboo (no they weren’t eaten) hats for the paper bears.

Next up on the panda tour was Hong Kong where the pack was greeted by fans and proceeded to make a “flash-mob-like” trek across the city.

While Vietnam doesn’t boast any pandas, it has plenty of endangered species that would be a fit for a project like this.

Any volunteers?

[Wall Street Journal // Top image via Imaginechina]