Knoxville Zoo is now home to two Red Panda cubs, born June 1. The twins, one boy and one girl, are born to mother Scarlett and father Madan.
Though young and still a bit reclusive, the cubs already have rather distinct personality traits. The female cub is feisty, often letting
out a "huff-quack" – a cross between a hiss and a bark- to keep strangers at bay. Her brother is a bit more easy going, much like his father. Scarlett and her cubs have been bonding in their next box. When the twins are older, they will leave the nest box for the zoo's outdoor
Red Panda exhibit. Until then, the 11 week old cubs are looking for names! The zoo is holding a naming contest for the pair. Voting will occur on their website starting August 31.
The birth of these cubs brings the number of red pandas born at Knoxville Zoo to 106. The zoo ranks as one of
the top two zoos in the world for the breeding of endangered red pandas. Red pandas are endangered, primarily
due to destruction of their native habitat, which extends from western Nepal to northern Myanmar.
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