The birth is good news for conservation worldwide: There are less than 2,500 red pandas remaining in the wild, according to the release.
And the new cub is also a “miracle” for its parents, according to the zoo. The baby was born to mother Tilly and father Nam Pang, who died a month before the cub’s birth. The pair had been matched by an international breeding program but failed to conceive over the past four years. But keepers noticed that Tilly began nesting just two weeks after her mate died.
“Little Red” won’t leave its nest for another few months. But zoo guests can still catch a glimpse of its mother.
“This cub has become a symbol of hope,” Aaron Whitnall, operations coordinator at the zoo, said in the release. “After the tragic passing of Nam Pang, for his memory and legacy to live on, is more than we ever expected.”
