Celebrate the Original Panda
Saturday (17th September 2016) was International Red Panda Day when this colourful and charismatic creature goes under the spotlight in zoos around the world, in order to raise awareness for the species.
Red pandas arrived at the award-winning Drusillas Park, East Sussex for the first time in 2013 and have proved extremely popular with staff and visitors alike. So much so the zoo has just launched a brand new Animal Experience in their honour, allowing a member of the public to enjoy a one-to-one close encounter with Mulan and Anmar and feed them their afternoon snack, which has been very well received.
Less is More
Although sometimes referred to as the lesser panda, these beautiful animals are actually the original panda. They were discovered by westerners in 1825, more than 40 years before giant pandas, who were not scientifically written about until 1869.
In the wild they inhabit the Himalayan mountains of China, India and Nepal where they are threatened by habitat destruction and hunting. They live on their own or in small family groups and consume a diet almost entirely of bamboo.
International Red Panda Day
To mark International Red Panda Day this Saturday, staff at the zoo will celebrate this incredible species by serving up a delicious panda cake to the group. Panda cake is a special dietary product, which contains essential vitamins and minerals as well as a high levels of fibre and is a tasty treat.
International Red Panda Day is organised by The Red Panda network, who are committed to the conservation of red pandas and their habitat through the education and empowerment of local communities. For more information visit www.redpandanetwork.org
