LANSING, MI – A tiny red panda cub was born at a Michigan zoo on June 19, adding a valuable addition to the captive population of this endangered species.
Red panda newborns are deaf, blind and tiny. The cub weighed just 185 grams – less than half a pound – during its first veterinary exam.
The cub was born to mother Maliha and father Degan-Reid.
“Maliha is doing wonderfully as a mother. She’s very attentive and has been caring for the newborn with great dedication. The cub is actively nursing and growing well,” said Annie Marcum, the lead keeper of the carnivore area at Potter Park Zoo.
It takes more two weeks for the cubs to open their eyes, and about two months before they start exploring outside the nest.
Maliha and Degan-Reid have now had three successful litters after being paired in 2021 by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Red Panda Species Survival Program, which strategically pairs animals to maintain genetic diversity within the captive population. Degan-Reid was transferred from the Knoxville Zoo.
With fewer than 205 red pandas in AZA institutions, the cub is a valuable addition to the population.
Maliha and her cub are monitored daily through a nest box camera. Veterinary and animal care teams continue regular wellness checks to ensure the cub’s healthy growth and development, and to determine the cub’s sex.
Native to the lush, temperate forests of the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, red pandas are elusive. They are endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. Distinctive for their vibrant reddish-brown fur and striking facial markings, red pandas also possess a unique “false thumb,” This extended wrist bone helps them grasp bamboo, which is their primary food source. Red pandas also have distinctive bushy ringed tails and “masked” faces.
Maliha and her cub remain off-exhibit. Updates from the animal care team will be shared on Potter Park Zoo’s social media. Guests are encouraged to visit Degan-Reid on exhibit.
