4:45 PM -- The Associated Press reports:

Researchers at a giant panda reserve in southern China are looking for paper mills to process their surplus of fibre-rich panda excrement into high quality paper.

Clearly, our definition of "high quality" differs a bit from China's.

The base is currently in talks with several paper mills on how to turn the droppings of Jing Jing, Ke Bi, Ya Ya and dozens of other pandas at the base into reams of office paper and rolls of wrapping paper, said Liao.

Well, hey, nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a box wrapped in crap.

"People won't find it gross at all," Liao said. "They probably won't even be able to tell it's from panda poop."

The Chiang Mai Zoo in northern Thailand already sells multicoloured paper made from the excrement produced by its two resident pandas.

Multicolored?! Sounds like these pandas need a gastroenterologist!

— Red Panda, Excreting Environmentalist, Light Reading