Wow! The 2008 Olympics in Beijing are just around the corner! 
And I have adopted Jing Jing the Panda, one of the official mascots of the Olympics, for my blog. I actually saw the real Jing Jing in Chengdu last fall, when I went to the Panda Reserve, but she was kind of lazy and didn't do anything but sleep, unlike the one down below who I adopted. Beijing has selected five dolls to be the mascots of the Olympic Games, 
four of which are popular animals in China -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope (called the Chiru) and the Swallow. The fifth one is the Olympic Flame. Each doll is one color of the Olympic rings, and has one of these five symbols on their head.
When they were choosing a mascot for the Olympics, my friends and I all wanted the Chiru (Tibetan Antelope), as it is from an area (near where I live), of Qinghai Province called Kekexili (pronounced 'kuh-kuh-shee-lee'), and the Chiru is fast, strong, and has an amazing story of survival. 
The Tibetans in Qinghai formed a non-government organization (NGO) to save and protect the Chiru from poachers. This story has been made into a great movie, called "Kekexili" (what else?), or in the States it may be known as, "Mountain Patrol: Kekexili". Now, since the Chiru, yak, pica, or Tibetan mastiff are not offered as web pets, the Panda will have to do for now. Thanks to Tinker for this idea of adopting a pet for my blog!
Have you adopted a pet?
Stay tuned for more information about the Beijing 2008 Olympics!
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