Red Panda Twins Born at Zoo

Visitors to the Edmonton Valley Zoo in Alberta, Canada last Thursday morning got a special treat: It was the first public appearance of a pair of newborn red panda twins.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on June 19 2008

Visitors to the Edmonton Valley Zoo in Alberta, Canada last Thursday morning got a special treat: It was the first public appearance of a pair of newborn red panda twins. The twins, Tai, a female, and Pip, a male, were born May 26. And while the two little cubs are just as adorable as you might expect, that’s not the main reason their births are such big deals.

The red panda is an endangered species, and while zoos are attempting to breed the species in captivity, there’s still a long way to go: Only four red pandas were born in all of North America last year. There are less than 2,500 red pandas in the wild, and only 45 living in captivity.

“Every cub is crucial to the conservation breeding program,” John Dinon of the Red Panda Species Survival Plan told CBC News. “The [program] is thrilled with the births at the Valley Zoo and appreciates the zoo’s outstanding efforts to ensure the cubs’ survival.”

Filed under: Animals and Pets, General Interest,

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