Yesterday our 3-year-old, female red panda underwent a full physical examination by our animal health team as part of our preventive care program for all animals at the zoo.
The routine check-up included a weigh-in, blood work and radiographs. The healthy red panda came in at 27 pounds.
As part of our efforts in the Red Panda Species Survival Plan, this female will be paired with our 6-year-old male in an off-view area for their upcoming breeding season in the winter. Since these two have never had any offspring before, their genes are particularly valuable to maintaining genetic diversity in the red panda population.
In the wild, fewer than 10,000 red pandas remain in their native habitat of bamboo forests in China, the Himalayas and Myanmar. Their numbers are declining due to deforestation, increased agriculture and cattle grazing, and continuing pressure from growing local populations. We can all do our part to help reduce our impact on wild habitats by reconsidering the global effect of the food we eat and the products we buy. For tips on what you can do at the zoo or at home to help, see our Share the Habitat page.
You can find the red panda exhibit in the Temperate Forest biome of the zoo, located adjacent to the flamingos. Having trouble spotting the red panda? Look up! Chances are good you’ll find these animals curled up in the treetops.
Exam photos by Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo. Bottom photo by Dennis Dow/Woodland Park Zoo.
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