The Wilder Institute's Calgary Zoo has announced the birth of three endangered red panda cubs, born June 8 to seven-year-old mother Udaya. The cubs, whose sexes have not yet been determined, are being cared for by Udaya with support from the zoo's Animal Care, Health and Welfare team. According to a zoo news release, Udaya and her cubs remain off habitat while the cubs grow and reach key developmental milestones.
Experienced Mother and Successful Breeding
“Three red panda cubs is a really exciting moment for our team,” said Patrick Thompson, Animal Care Manager (Asia/South America) at the zoo. “Udaya is an experienced, attentive mother. It’s been great to see her caring for and bonding with her cubs. She knows exactly what to do, and all of them are doing well, although it is still early days.”
This is Udaya's third litter with eight-year-old male Linus, with previous litters born in 2022 and 2023. The zoo attributes the successful birth to positive animal welfare and wellbeing outcomes for the red panda family, who have been behind the scenes since last year during construction of their habitat.
Adaptation and Care Program
Despite changes in environment and routine, the pandas have demonstrated stable health and normal behavioural patterns, the zoo said. “Maintaining conditions that support adaptation, comfort, and the consistent expression of natural behaviours, including successful breeding, reflects the strength of their care program and daily husbandry practices,” the zoo stated.
New Habitat and Public Access
While the cubs are not yet visible to the public, guests can visit Linus and the cubs' three-year-old brother Anshu when the Asian Highlands habitat opens on July 15. “Their new home in Asian Highlands has been designed to reflect how red pandas naturally live in the wild, with complex climbing structures, elevated pathways, and a more natural forested environment,” said Thompson. “Features like overhead transfer logs will allow them to move through different areas of their habitat in ways that align with their arboreal behaviour. We’re looking forward to seeing Linus and Anshu explore these spaces when the habitat opens, and introducing Udaya and the cubs when they are ready for that next step.”
Conservation Significance
Red pandas are classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and are native to the mountain forests of Asia. The birth of these cubs contributes to the conservation of this vulnerable species.
