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In early 2014, Redditor CarlPeligro made a brief comment on a photo of a raccoon: "Raccoons = trash pandas."
2017-05-08
The description stuck and the term "trash panda" has permeated across Reddit, Imgur, and Instagram alike, resulting in the creation of a subreddit devoted entirely to "trash pandas." But now the meme has really hit the mainstream.
In "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," Chris Pratt's character Peter Quill calls Rocket a "trash panda" after he protests being called a raccoon. When asked if "trash panda" is better or worse, Quill laughs and says, "it's so much worse."
For those unaware of this loveable raccoon nickname, you're in for a real treat. Let's dive into the weird world of "trash pandas."
A lot of submitted posts on /r/trashpandas are original photos.
The term "trash panda" was likely derived from the name Red Panda.
Herwig Prammer/Reuters
Despite their name, Red Pandas are not related to panda bears. They actually belong to their own taxonomic category called Ailuridae.
"Trash Pandas" makes sense because raccoons share the black and white coloring of panda bears, but are similar in size and shape to a red panda. They also love trash.
This baby "trash panda" was adopted by a Redditor's neighbor.
2guard/Imgur
Redditor /u/2Guard added background info in the comment section. "Maybe interesting to know: My neighbors got this little guy from a forest ranger who found him all alone in the woods. She nurtures wild animals and kept him for a few months."
Kim was an entertainment correspondent for Insider. She was best known as Insider's resident "Game of Thrones" analyst, and authored "The Unofficial Guide to Game of Thrones." Kim moderated panels for the annual Con of Thrones fan convention and made guest appearances on podcasts including "Night's Cast," "Bald Move," and "Game of Owns." She co-hosts the "House of the Dragon" unofficial recap podcast "A Cast of Kings."Kim covered other sci-fi and fantasy series, including "Stranger Things," "Dark," "Westworld," "The OA," and more. Kim graduated from Hunter College with a degree in cultural anthropology.
