Buffalo Zoo bidding farewell to red panda cubs, African lion sisters

The Buffalo Zoo is always overwhelmingly excited to make positive contributions to wildlife conservation, even when it means we have to say goodbye.

Red panda cubs Joy and Henny, as well as African lion sisters Asali and Denny, will soon be off to new zoos in accordance with Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding recommendations from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The hope is that these four animals will start families of their own at their new homes, and it will also provide space for future arrivals here at the Buffalo Zoo!

These types of animal moves are integral parts of ensuring species can continue to thrive both at AZA facilities and in the wild, and we can’t wait for their next chapters. Asali and Denny are set to depart within the first week of May while Joy and Henny will leave in the days that follow, giving our Buffalo Zoo community the chance to wish them good luck on their new adventures over these next two weeks!

You can purchase Buffalo Zoo admission tickets for the next two weeks here.

An adorable red panda duo

Henny and Joy, both just under a year old, have become favorites of both our Zoo community and staff alike, and we are thrilled to support critical conservation efforts in helping with their move.

Red pandas are considered endangered in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, with their population dropping nearly 50% over the last two decades due to issues like habitat loss and poaching. Saving these incredible animals from extinction is always our top priority, and we’re hopeful that Henny and Joy can play a crucial role in that goal at their new homes!

Joy was born on June 15 here at the Buffalo Zoo to mom Himalaya and dad Mogwai. Henny arrived shortly after due to a partnership with the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, Michigan, forming an adorable pair that our community and social media fell in love with.

Our keepers have been working incredibly hard to prepare Henny and Joy for their upcoming journeys, and we will release more information on their new homes once they’ve moved. Himalaya and Mogwai, our resident animals, can still be seen in the red panda habitat in the vanishing animals area of the Zoo and we have a continued commitment to forwarding the goals of the AZA SSP with the pair receiving a breeding recommendation themselves for 2026. Hopefully, the pair got the memo!

Beloved lion sisters

Asali and Denny were born on June 2, 2023 to mom Lusaka and dad Tiberius. Their brothers, Briggs and Saúl, aunt Lelie as well as Tiberius and Lusaka will still reside here at the Buffalo Zoo for the foreseeable future. Group changes may be noticeable as we move Tiberius between groups for both socialization and with a hopeful view toward more lion cubs in the future. Excitedly, the AZA African lion SSP has given us another breeding recommendation for the pair. The Buffalo Zoo is proud to be considered one of the most successful breeding programs in the SSP at this time.

African lion populations are considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and we are thrilled to support efforts that seek to strengthen their global numbers through our partners at the Lion Recovery Fund.

Our keepers have been hard at work preparing all animals for their moves, and we will provide updates on their new homes once they’re fully settled.