New red panda cubs at the Charles Paddock Zoo
October 16, 2014
The City of Atascadero and the Charles Paddock Zoo announced Thursday the arrival of two new red panda cubs at the zoo.
The cubs were born at the zoo on June 26, but have been kept under wraps until zoo staff could be more comfortable with their safety and survival. Both of the new cubs are females, they haven’t been named yet.
The cubs were born to mom-panda Damini who was born in 2011, and dad-panda Ruskan, born in 2009. Both mom and dad were born in other accredited zoos participating in the red panda breeding program.
The young cubs are now reaching a critical milestone as they start weaning from their mom and begin eating solid food. The little cubs are beginning to venture out of their nest box on their own now, and so should start appearing in the exhibit for public enjoyment very soon.
The new panda babies will stay at the Charles Paddock Zoo for approximately a year and then will be assigned to other zoos in order to continue the ongoing red panda breeding program which is designed to save this unique species from extinction.
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