Two red panda cubs a male and a female, were born at the beginning of August at the Dublin Zoo — but they have only recently ventured out of the den. From the time they were born their mother, Angelina, kept moving the cubs to different hiding places around the habitat to keep them protected.

Team Leader Eddie O’Brien said, “We are delighted with the arrival of the cubs. They are both doing very well and starting to fend for themselves. Visitors should now be able to spot them roaming around in their habitat.”

Red pandas have thick, dense fur and a long, bushy tail keep them warm. The fur on the soles of their feet also prevents them from slipping on wet branches. Mainly active at sunrise and sunset, they spend the rest of their time asleep in the trees.They live in the wild in the cool, temperate, old-growth forests of southwestern China, the Himalayas and Nepalwhere dens are easily found and there are plenty of hiding places for cubs. Their coloration helps to camoflage them. Bamboo is their favorite food.

Red pandas are endangered in the wild due to poaching and habitat loss. They are now protected by national laws in their range countries, so few of them are hunted, but deforestation is now their greatest threat. Because they hide in the wild, no one knows exactly how many are left in the world.  

Photo Credit: Dublin Zoo