red panda

Baby Red Panda Alert!! “Moonlight, a 4-year-old red panda, gave birth to a cub overnight June 12”

By Prince Of Petworth


Red panda cub being weighed June 19. (Jessica Kordell/Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute)

From the Smithsonian National Zoo:

“Moonlight, a 4-year-old red panda, gave birth to a cub overnight June 12 at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. Moonlight and the cub appear to be doing well and keepers are cautiously optimistic that the cub will continue to grow. The new mom has been very attentive to the cub, only leaving the nest box where it was born for very short periods of time to eat and drink. Keepers have been monitoring the pair via a closed-circuit camera in the nest box and they have seen Moonlight, an experienced mom, grooming and nursing the cub.

When Moonlight left the nest box June 19, keepers took the opportunity to perform a quick visual exam and weigh the cub. It weighed in at 6 ounces (172 grams), which is normal for a newborn. Keepers and veterinarians will continue to monitor the pair closely during the next several weeks, which are the most critical for a newborn cub. (more…)

As if the Red Pandas weren’t cool enough already – Rusty’s 7-month-old cubs are named Shredder, Clinger, and Slash

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo Credit: Janice Sveda, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

From the Smithsonian’s National Zoo:

“Who are Shredder, Clinger, and Slash? 80s hair band? Nope. Rusty the red panda’s 7-month-old cubs! When the trio of brothers were just shy of two months old, keepers stepped in to raise them. Thanks to the efforts of animal care staff, they’re growing and gaining independence! See photos and read more.

Want red pandas to return to the National Zoo? Learn how you can help.”

Help Build a Retreat for Red Pandas

By Prince Of Petworth

Photo Credit- Janice Sveda, Smithsonian's National Zoo
Photo Credit Janice Sveda Smithsonians National Zoo

Red Pandas in beloved in PoPville. If you are so inclined – from Friends of the National Zoo:

“At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, we strive to further scientific research to benefit species in the wild and provide the best quality of life for the animals in our care. But we can’t do it without you!

As a result, we have an urgent need to raise $150,000 to create a comfortable, temperature-controlled indoor retreat complete with branches for climbing and multi-level platforms for playing and sleeping for our red pandas at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.

Your gift will help build this much needed facility for red pandas on Asia Trail. The success of this project will allow keeper staff to better manage the red pandas in our care so that we can continue our important conservation research. Will you join our efforts to save species and improve your Zoo by giving to the Red Panda Retreat Annual Appeal?”

Donate here.

In Defense of the Red Panda by Robyn

By Prince Of Petworth


Rusty the Red Panda photo by Steve W Lee

In early February, the National Zoo welcomed the arrival of Tate, the red panda bear sent in from the Cape May Zoo in New Jersey. And no one cared. I mean, it was reported on by DCist and a few local news channels, and given a blurb in WaPo, but the majority of the public still had stars in their eyes from the Zoo’s glamour days with the red-carpet entrance of Tai Shan the baby panda bear. Poor Tate. Most people don’t even notice the red panda habitat at the zoo, bypassing it entirely while bee-lining for the giant pandas. The giant pandas that, if they ever venture to come out, don’t DO anything but eat and stare at their bellies. One time I was there and a kid who was racing to see Tai Shan stopped momentarily beside the red bears just to point at them and call them “boring pandas,” leaving them feeling dejected and undoubtedly depressed. I’m encouraging all to boycott the gluttonous, overrated, Star Jones’s of the Zoo celebrity creatures and instead consider the adorable, livelier, and severely overlooked red panda bears. Tate and his friend Shama are attention seekers. Unlike the apathetic Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, the more colorful duo WANT to be watched. They’re cute and move around more, and play for the (lack of) camera, and deserve more ‘ooohhhs’ and ‘awwwws.’ If you’re ever feeling underappreciated, pay a visit to Tate and Shama and feel their pain.

Also underappreciated – the mouse with the gigantic teeth. Those guys are terrifying.

What other zoo creature gets unmerited neglect? What’s your goto spot at the zoo?