OKC Zoo Announces Birth Of 2 Red Pandas, Asks For Public's Helping Naming Them

Two healthy red panda cubs were born at the Oklahoma City Zoo's Sanctuary Asia red panda habitat, the zoo announced Friday.

Friday, June 21st 2019, 2:59 pm

By: News 9


Two healthy red panda cubs were born at the Oklahoma City Zoo's Sanctuary Asia red panda habitat, the zoo announced Friday.

The cubs, a male and a female, were born Sunday, June 2, to mom, 5-year-old Leela, and dad, 6-year-old Thomas. 

“We are so excited to welcome these adorable red panda cubs to the Zoo’s animal family and are beyond thrilled that Leela is such a nurturing mother,” said Tyler Boyd, OKC Zoo Curator of Carnivores and Hoofstock. “While we don’t yet know when the cubs will be on public view, mom and her offspring are doing well and bonding behind-the-scenes at their habitat.”

The zoo is asking the public for help in naming the two cubs. 

The options for the male are: Ravi (Nepalese for sun), Tau (Nepalese for handsome) and Jetsun (Buddhist reverend from Tibet).

The options for the female are: Nima (Nepalese for small), Mohu (Nepalese for cloudy) and Khyana (Nepalese for light). 

Voting is now open until July 5 and the winning names will be revealed on the zoo's Facebook page on July 8. Click here to vote for the red pandas' names.  

Here is more information about the red pandas:

Red pandas are listed as an endangered species. Only an estimated 10,000 remain in the wild, and their habitats in remote areas of the Himalayan Mountains, from Nepal to central China, are being threatened by deforestation, agriculture, cattle grazing and competition for resources. In addition to a taste for bamboo, red pandas consume many other types of food including fruits, acorns, roots and eggs. Red pandas grow to be about the size of a typical house cat and have a life expectancy between 8 and 10 years.

 

 

 

 

 

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