Redditors are suddenly obsessed with ‘trash panda' raccoons

Raccoons equal Trash Pandas
Getty Images

In early 2014, Redditor /u/CarlPeligro made a brief comment on a photo of a raccoon: "Raccoons = trash pandas." 

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The description stuck, and now the term "trash pandas" has permeated across Reddit, Imgur, and Instagram alike. There is now a subreddit devoted entirely to "trash pandas." The online community members include owners of domesticated raccoons as well as obsessed fans of the new word for raccoon.

Let's dive into the weird world of "trash pandas."

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A lot of submitted posts on /r/trashpandas are original photos.

Trash Panda Trickdaddypayne
Trickdaddypayne/Imgur

This one was captioned, "Trash panda I found in the garbage bin at work...I let him out."

The term "trash panda" was likely derived from the name Red Panda.

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.

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"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.

Raccoon trash panda
Ilya Naymushin/Rueters
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This gif was tagged #trashpanda on Imgur.

thund3rbolt on Imgur 

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"Hungry Trash panda" is the top post on /r/trashpandas.

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This photoshopped pic is titled: "Hot Topic employee proposes to lower middle class trashpanda. Love knows no bounds."

Trash Panda greyhound4
greyhound4/Reddit

Redditor CrapPaintJob created the altered photo, but user greyhound4 added the title for /r/trashpandas.

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The "Trash Pandas" subreddit is two months old.

"Thank you human for this offering!"

But new Redditors discover it everyday.

Trash Panda natural habitat
all_myb*tches/Imgur

"Trash Panda in their natural habitat."

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A college student posted this one: "Trash Panda on the monorail."

Trash panda Dangthesehavetobesma
Dangthesehavetobesma/Imgur

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Custom artwork has even started cropping up.

Trash Panda breakb0t
breakb0t/Reddit

Redditor /u/breakb0t drew this original design.

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This baby "trash panda" was adopted by a Redditor's neighbor.

Baby Trash Panda 2guard
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."

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Some "trash pandas" come in groups.

Trash Pandas aboum27
aboum27/Imgur

Source

 

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Remember the dead Toronto raccoon who went viral?

Trash Panda toronto
Imgur

If not, read this explainer from BuzzFeed. The gist is, a raccoon was found dead and lots of Canadians began memorializing it right on the sidewalk. 

A week after the raccoon was removed, this tombstone was placed in the same spot — calling the raccoon a trash panda.

Trash Panda Tombstone
Ginner88/Reddit

It reads: "RIP In Peace Trash Panda."

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Clearly, "Trash Pandas" have moved beyond Reddit and into the real world. These custom Coke bottles were posted on Instagram:

A photo posted by nako okubo (@itsnakotime)

 

The subscriber count for /r/trashpandas is 5000 and counting.

raccoon
Masha, a female raccoon, yawns in her wooden refuge inside an open-air cage where she hibernates at the Royev Ruchey zoo in Krasnoyarsk, November 20, 2013. REUTERS/Ilya Naymushin

If this slide show wasn't enough, you can find more "trash pandas" on Reddit

Reddit Animals Digital Culture
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