Two red panda cubs were born at Zoo Boise this summer. The male and female cubs were born June 18 and are just now being seen in the red panda exhibit.
The cubs were born to parents Dolly and Winston. It’s their third litter of cubs and the fifth litter born at the zoo. Their first litter was born in June 2013.
Red pandas only get about as big as a house cat. They live in Nepal and China, and are related both to the giant panda and the raccoon. They’re in trouble in the wild because of deforestation.
The cubs are just starting to explore out of the den. The zoo says morning and early afternoon are the best times to try to catch a glimpse of the pair.
Dolly and Winston are part of the Red Panda Species Survival Program or SSP. The SSP is sort of an inter-zoo dating service; it’s a breeding program for endangered or threatened species. SSP makes sure the population of each species is genetically diverse.
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