Lincoln Children’s Zoo, in Nebraska, is excited to announce two new stars in their zoo family, Red Panda twins!  The siblings, a boy and a girl, were born July 1^st to mother, Sophia.

Photo Credits: Lincoln Children's Zoo

Because the soon-to-be-named duos mother needed intervention with her new babies, they are being hand raised by keepers at the zoo. 

The cubs are doing exceedingly well and displaying all the marks of healthy, active siblings. The female cub has a stuffed animal frog she is friends with and loves napping on. The male cub is full of energy, and like a typical brother, loves to pick on his sister. One of his favorite activities is to provoke his sister into a fight and, then, tease her with a hasty retreat.

The female cub will live at the zoo for the next year, and the male will move to another zoo in the coming months. The cub's names will be announced soon!

Native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, the Red Panda is currently classified as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. Their population in the wild continues to decline due to habitat loss, poaching, and inbreeding depression.