ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Reveals Red Panda Cub

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: August 28, 2020 11:54 am

The red panda cub at Whipsnade Zoo

Photo Credit: ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo has celebrated the arrival of a red panda cub. The cub was born on Friday June 19th and at its birth was just the size of a human finger.

The cub arrived soon after the reopening of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo following their 3 month closure due to the pandemic.

Super mom Tashi gave birth to this cub which is her 7th. The family have spent the last few months bonding off display in a nest box where Tashi provided expert care to her infant. Recently they have started to emerge giving guests an opportunity to view them.

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The red panda cub at Whipsnade Zoo

Photo Credit: ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

While the cub may be tiny in size it marks a massive contribution to the breeding program for this endangered species.

“Red panda cubs are surprisingly small when they’re first born – about the size of your index finger,” explained ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Deputy Team Leader, Grant Timberlake. “But the cub has grown quickly and is about the size of a small puppy now: though it will be a full year before the cub reaches adult size, it will soon begin testing its incredible climbing skills around its leafy tree-top enclosure – closely guided by mum of course.”

Keepers will select a name for the cub after its first health check where zoo vets will determine its gender.

Learn more about the red panda – Red Panda Fact File | The Animal Facts

Learn more about ZSL Whipsnade Zoo on their website – ZSL Whipsnade Zoo