Red panda cub born at the Buffalo Zoo
The Buffalo Zoo is incredibly excited to announce the birth of a female red panda cub, who entered the world on June 15.
The cub, who does not yet have a name, was born to first-time mom Himalaya (2) and dad Mogwai (4), and is currently being hand raised by our veterinary and animal care teams.
“This little red panda cub has already captured our hearts,” said Lisa Smith, President and CEO of the Buffalo Zoo. “While the journey hasn’t been without its challenges, our incredible veterinary and animal care teams have shown extraordinary dedication and compassion. Each step forward for this cub is a step toward securing a brighter future for red pandas in our care and in the wild.”
Himalaya, a young mom who gave birth just before her second birthday, originally welcomed a litter of two cubs in a nest box meant to replicate red pandas’ nests in the wild. While Himalaya was showing an attentive mom attitude and the cubs were initially nursing well, sadly, one of the cubs passed away in the weeks following birth.
Keepers monitored Himalaya and the remaining cub closely via closed circuit camera system. As days passed, it became apparent that the cub was declining. After thoughtful evaluation, consultation with other red panda experts and considering Himalaya’s youth and inexperience, the team determined that the cub’s chances of survival would be greater with additional support and hand-rearing.
We are ecstatic to say the cub is doing very well in the care of our hand-raising team, who have a 24/7 job of ensuring it’s healthy and properly fed.
Initially, the cub was fed every four hours by a veterinary team member who had to spend the night at the Zoo to ensure round the clock care. As she grew, became stronger, and required less intensive care, select members of our animal care team have joined the hand-raising team to help give our vet team a much needed break and support.
People often ask what we use as feed when we hand-raise zoo babies. While each species is different, red panda cubs get a specially made formula that is similar to what a domestic kitten would need. Eventually, the cub will be transitioned to soft specially made red panda biscuits, soft fruit (apples, grapes) and bamboo, the main component in an adult red panda’s diet.
In addition to the feedings, the cub gets weighed, washed up, checked for proper out-put (urine and fecal matter), and a daily check-up from the veterinarian to ensure it is meeting its health and growth milestones.
Red panda cubs are born with both their ears and eyes closed, and weigh around 3 to 4 ounces (a stick of butter weighs 4 ounces for comparison). They usually gain sight and hearing abilities when they are a month to two months old, just as this cub did.
Visitors won’t have to wait long to meet this amazing cub! She will make her public debut Thursday, Sept. 4 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the ambassador animal exhibit near the entrance to the Diversity Hallway and our gorilla exhibit. After that, she will tentatively be on exhibit daily from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in that same space.
The cub will continue to live behind the scenes while it’s raised by its care team, but the plan will be to have it spend its exercise time on view in the ambassador animal exercise/play area for the time being. The cub’s well-being remains our top priority and viewing is not guaranteed and the hours the animal is on view may vary as the animal grows. When it is strong and healthy enough, we also hope to begin gradually introducing it to larger exhibit spaces.
Will the cub go back with mom or dad? No. While at some point it may be able to see Himalaya and Mogwai in the holding areas of the red panda space, it likely won’t spend time in the same space as them as they begin a new breeding season cycle this winter continuing their previous breeding recommendation from the AZA Red Panda Species Survival Plan.
Red pandas are currently considered endangered in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are native to Asia, specifically the forests of Nepal, Bhutan and southern China. While they possess the digestive system of a carnivore, they are practically vegetarians, eating mostly leaves, bamboo and similar greenery.
The birth of the cub is an incredibly promising development in the Buffalo Zoo’s conservation mission. We remain committed to ensuring a future where wildlife thrives, and the hard work of our keepers and veterinary team in this process is a testament to that fact.
Stay tuned for further updates on our red panda cub in the future!
