For the first time in 20 years, an endangered red panda cub was born in San Diego Zoo.Ian Waldie / Getty Images
For the first time in 20 years, an endangered red panda cub was born in San Diego Zoo.
For the first time in 20 years, an endangered red panda cub was born at the San Diego Zoo, igniting excitement as it entered the viewing area for the general public.
First in 20 Years
The young red panda and its mother visited the outdoor habitat at the zoo's Asian Passage during the mid-morning hours of Thursday, providing a rare and amazing sight for visitors who happened to be in the right place at precisely the right moment.
After its birth on June 9, this was the first time that zoo staff and visitors were able to see the curious cub beyond its habitat.
According to the San Diego Wildlife Alliance, the roaming cub is a significant milestone for the zoo as it is the first member of its species to be born there since 2006.
According to Erika Kohler, the San Diego Zoo senior vice president and executive director, while any animal birth is an emotional experience, it is much more extraordinary for a species that hasn't given birth in such a long time.
This cub gives hope to everyone fighting to rescue this critically endangered Asian species because every birth bears so great weight.
Endangered Red Panda Cub
The nameless cub, which was born to first-time parents Lucas and Adira, has remained secluded in their cave for its first few weeks of life, largely sleeping and eating.
Newborn red panda cubs typically suckle from their mother for 13 to 22 weeks, according to zoo authorities.
Around six or seven weeks old, they become more energetic and start exploring their environment.
Don't be misled by the name of these pandas, even if they enjoy eating bamboo and coexist alongside giant pandas in China's bamboo forests.
Red pandas, formerly known as smaller pandas, are now classified in their own distinct family, Ailuridae, as evidenced by DNA tests.
This family split from the rest of the carnivore order.
Red pandas are also known as hun-ho, or fire fox, in Chinese. The red panda blends well with the white lichen and crimson moss that cover the trees in its bamboo forest habitat thanks to its reddish coat and white face mask, according to San Diego Zoo.
According to experts in wildlife, the red panda's population has decreased by as much as 40% over the previous 50 years, placing it on the list of endangered animals.
Red pandas are reportedly threatened by several factors, including habitat loss and degradation brought on by rising human encroachment and climate change, FOX5 reported.
Red pandas' special habitat is one of the factors contributing to the challenge of conservation.
To have the best chance of surviving, these animals need a particular set of conditions, such as being close to water sources, having the right amount of bamboo, and being at the right altitude and forest cover.
As human encroachment continues to rise, these ideal ecosystems become even more difficult to find.
