They’re fluffy, red, and raise their arms and stand up when they get scared. They look like a cross between raccoons and foxes.
Red pandas are about the size of a house cat, a far cry in size from the giant panda bears of China. Red pandas and panda bears are from different families, but shared a common ancestor millions of years ago.
Red pandas come in two variations: the Himalayan fulgens and the Chinese styanis. The climate fluctuations of Boise are actually quite similar to the native habitats of the fulgens and styanis.
Zoo Boise acquired red pandas twenty years ago as part of a conservation effort, and opened the new red panda exhibit to the public in May.
The exhibit, which features three outdoor sections connected by overhead chutes — houses four red pandas: three styanis and one fulgen. They are fed a mixture of protein biscuits and bamboo — which is grown at the zoo.
Melissa Wade, Zoo Boise’s general curator, said the youngest has yet to be named.
“We also are doing a raffle right now where you have an opportunity to be able to name our new red panda girl.”
Wade also said that visits to the zoo contribute to animal conservation efforts in the wild.
You can enter the raffle to name the red panda here.
