Double birth announcement: two red pandas born

Great news! Two red pandas were born in early July. This is a special occasion, because red pandas are fertile only once a year, which greatly limits the chances of having cubs. The birth of the two cubs is important for the conservation of the species. The red panda is listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Both the mother and the cubs are doing well. They are staying together with their mother in one of the barrels in the enclosure. Max Kronier, head of animal care at ZooParc Overloon: “The cubs are fragile during the first few weeks, so we’re leaving them completely undisturbed. But things are looking good so far.”

Visitors will have to be patient a little longer before they can admire the cubs, as red pandas remain in the nest for the first few months. As a result, their gender is not yet known.

Conservation Program
In the wild, the population is declining rapidly due to deforestation, which is destroying their habitat and food sources. Additionally, red pandas are hunted for their fur. To ensure a healthy reserve population of these animals in European zoos, a management program is in place.

In the wild, red pandas are found in the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, where they live in mountain forests with flowing rivers. Their diet consists mainly of bamboo, but also includes fruit and flowers.

Conservation in the Wild
ZooParc is also committed to protecting red pandas in the wild through the Wildlife Foundation, with which the park is affiliated. One of the projects it supports is the Red Panda Network, which is dedicated to the conservation of red pandas and their habitat in the Himalayas. It works with the local population and trains so-called Forest Guardians: local people who form a network to actively protect the red panda’s habitat protect.