Advertisement

Red panda gives birth to healthy cubs at Toronto Zoo

FILE PHOTO - A one-year-old male red panda climbs a tree in their enclosure at the Budapest Zoo, in Budapest, Hungary, 12 July 2020. EPA/Attila Kovacs

TORONTO — The Toronto Zoo says a two-year-old red panda named Ila gave birth to two healthy cubs earlier this week.

The zoo says it is the first time a red panda has been pregnant there in 24 years.

Staff first announced the panda’s pregnancy in June, after noticing multiple breeding attempts between two of the animals earlier this year.

https://twitter.com/TheTorontoZoo/status/1284065422560681984

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Keepers are now observing the cubs by video cameras to ensure they don’t disturb them from nursing.

The zoo says it’s cautiously optimistic about the cubs surviving.

Red pandas are an endangered species native to southwestern China and the eastern Himalayas, and experts estimate there are between 2,500 and 10,000 of the animals in the wild.

Story continues below advertisement
Click to play video: 'Edmonton Valley Zoo red pandas'
Edmonton Valley Zoo red pandas

Sponsored content

AdChoices