Pandas are a myth!

The history of the discovery of the [Giant Panda] demonstrates that a large animal can elude detection for decades, and that native tales of such creatures can be based in fact. It took sixty-seven years from the time the Giant Panda was "discovered" by Westerners until its live capture. During this period twelve well staffed and equipped professional expeditions failed to collect a single live specimen of this large bear. [Red Panda was probably well-known to lowland Chinese authorities and Western scientists.]
It took over twenty years to collect a living specimen of the Congo Peacock once it became known to Westerners from feathers and oral descriptions by natives of the Congo River basin. Likewise for the [mountain gorilla. And the opaki. And the pygmy hippo.]

http://www.pibburns.com/cryptozo.htm