A three-month-old red panda cub has died, the Toronto zoo says.
The zoo announced the death of the cub known as ‘Baby Spice’ on Monday.
“Our teams are hurting and grieving from this incredibly sudden loss,” a press release read. “As recently as Saturday, October 22, the cub showed no signs of illness at the beginning and end-of-day check-ins.
According to the zoo, on Sunday morning, staff heard the red panda cub “vocalizing” and found him lying on his side.
They said he was “extremely weak.”
“He was rushed to the Wildlife Health Centre for immediate treatment by our veterinary team where he was put on oxygen, administered fluids, given antibiotics and warmed up as his temperature was low,” the zoo said.
The zoo said he was stable for a “short period of time” but then “took a turn for the worse,” had no pulse, and stopped breathing.
According to the zoo, attempts to resuscitate the cub were unsuccessful.
“A post-mortem exam was conducted to collect samples for additional testing, which will be required to better understand the possible cause of his rapid decline,” the zoo said.
The zoo said the cub had recently been named Dash.
“Although he was only three-months old, he made an incredible impact and had gained quite the following on social media as we posted updates about him since his birth,” the zoo said.
The zoo said staff are monitoring Dash’s mother, Paprika.
“So far she is doing well and adjusting to not having Dash with her,” the release read. “Dash will be incredibly missed by Toronto Zoo staff, volunteers, our amazing community, and especially by his Wildlife Care team who had the honour of caring for him each day.”
The zoo said Dash’s passing “underscores the fragility of cubs, even months after their birth as they move from juveniles to adulthood.”
The zoo said red panda’s are “a very complicated species,” adding that they are difficult to breed due to pre- and post-partum challenges.
“Evidence is showing a high percentage of early pregnancy loss in this species compared to others, with 40 per cent of pregnancies being lost prior to birth as shown in a recent 10-year study by colleagues at Cincinnati Zoo,” the release read. “Similar losses are recorded after birth with approximately 40 per cent of cubs dying within 1 year of birth.”
The zoo said the low survival rates have had a “significant impact on the growth of the red panda population under human care.”