Do you know what a “trash panda” is?  This nickname for raccoons has been around for a while, but really started to become common in mid-2016 on internet websites like Reddit and Imgur.  We can see the resemblance; like a panda, raccoons have similar dark patches of fur around their eyes.  And while pandas like to eat bamboo, it seems that raccoons have found trash to be a great source of food.

Sadly, while trash pandas are quite cute, they’ve gained a reputation for being pests, especially in urban areas. They can chew through the tough plastic of trash bins, and can in general make a mess by ripping open garbage bags and scattering their contents in search for food.