Utah’s Hogle Zoo welcomes red panda cub
Jun 24, 2023, 9:33 AM | Updated: 5:47 pm
Zookeepers say red panda Priya and her cub are healthy, and are meeting all the important milestones they look for after birth. (Utah's Hogle Zoo/Facebook)
(Utah's Hogle Zoo/Facebook)
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s Hogle Zoo is welcoming its newest resident this weekend, a red panda cub was born on Friday, a little after 4 p.m. Visitors will not be able to see the cub until late summer, but the zoo shared some behind-the-scenes footage on their Facebook page.
Priya (4), mom, came to Utah last June from Pueblo Zoo in Colorado on a breeding recommendation with dad, MowMow. This cub’s birth is important to red pandas since they are considered endangered. Red pandas have experienced a 40% decline in population in the last decade.
Priya and her cub are healthy and are meeting all the important milestones for after birth like Priya grooming the baby, Priya eating her placenta, and the cub moving around and making sounds. The zoo was able to observe the birth without interfering with the natural process due to high-definition cameras.
Utah’s Hogle Zoo will be sharing regular “CUBdates” on their social media since they won’t be making a public appearance for a few months. The zoo will be asking for visitors’ help by keeping voices quiet, so the cub and mama feel calm and safe until the cub is big enough to join the other residents.
