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Zoo Boise's New Baby Red Pandas Are A Success Of The Species Survival Plan

Zoo Boise

Zoo Boise welcomed into the world a pair of baby red pandas this summer. The cubs are healthy, and growing as they should, according to Zoo Boise.

But they’re more than just cute. They are also part of a conservation effort called the Species Survival Plan, a project between zoos and aquariums across the United States to increase populations and genetic diversity of the world’s endangered species.

“It’s almost like a special zoo animal dating service, if you will,” Jeff Agosta with Zoo Boise says. He explains that the plan matches members of a threatened species for breeding.

And the results are significant. Harry Peachey is the General Curator at Zoo Boise, and says that the birth of these red pandas is helping numbers. 

“Having cubs is significant,” Peachey says. “We’re excited about it, and it will definitely be a benefit to the population here in the United States.”

The two little ones don’t have names yet – that’ll be left up to the winners of an auction at the annual Zoobilee Gala in September. 

For more local news, follow the KBSX newsroom on Twitter @KBSX915

Copyright 2019 Boise State Public Radio

Molly Wampler is a newsroom intern at Boise State Public Radio. Originally from Berkeley, California, she just graduated from the University of Puget Sound in Washington state. There, Molly worked for her university's newspaper but is stoked to try her hand at and learn all there is to learn about radio journalism.

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