Buttonwood Park Zoo welcomes endangered red panda cubs

Seth Chitwood, Standard-Times
·4 min read

NEW BEDFORD -- Two red panda cubs that were born last month at the Buttonwood Park Zoo, made their big and super cute debut on Thursday. BPZOO’s female red panda, 5-year-old Marie, gave birth to two cubs.

"This birth is significant as it allows us to continue highlighting the plight of this critically endangered species and support conservation efforts to help protect them in the wild," said Sarah Henry, the executive director of Buttonwood Park Zoological Society.

At the 129-year-old facility located at 425 Hawthorn St., Marie’s second litter of red panda cubs officially passed their initial health screenings with flying colors after being born on May 27. Mom and cubs will remain together for at least one year within the nest box, which is located within the red panda’s night house—where mom is spending time behind the scenes, bonding with her cubs. Perching in the outdoor habitat is underway so that the duo can venture outside soon.

BPZOO’s female red panda, 5-year-old Marie, gave birth to two cubs on May 27.
BPZOO’s female red panda, 5-year-old Marie, gave birth to two cubs on May 27.

The cubs have not yet been named yet.

More: Buttonwood Park Zoo faces backlash over a Pride post involving its turkey vultures.

What is a red panda?

Red pandas, Ailurus fulgens fulgens, live in high-altitude temperate forests of Nepal, northeastern India, Bhutan and part of China. Listed as endangered by the International Union of Conservation of Nature, the global red panda population has declined by 50% over the last 20 years.

An example of a fully grown red panda at Louisville Zoo. BPZOO’s female red panda, 5-year-old Marie, gave birth to two cubs on May 27.
An example of a fully grown red panda at Louisville Zoo. BPZOO’s female red panda, 5-year-old Marie, gave birth to two cubs on May 27.

Primarily threatened by habitat loss, red pandas are also susceptible to climate change, poaching, livestock herding and disease. It is estimated that there are less than 10,000 and as few as 2,500 red pandas remaining in the wild. Currently, there are 240 red pandas at 85 AZA accredited institutions who are working together to save this endangered species, according to the press release.

Primarily bamboo eaters, red pandas need to eat 20-30% of their body weight each day due to the high amount of indigestible fiber present in bamboo.

Thanks to the success of the Zoo’s Community Bamboo Program, Henry said, the red pandas, elephants and others enjoy various species of bamboo harvested from private landowners throughout the community.

How did Marie get pregnant?

Jacob, BPZOO’s 6-year-old male red panda, and Marie were brought to New Bedford based on a recommendation as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan (SSP), which the Buttonwood Park Zoo is actively participating in.

More: 'Seagull Cinderella' is returning to New Bedford. Do you remember the controversy?

The goal of the SSP is to cooperatively manage animal populations to ensure the sustainability of a healthy and genetically diverse population while enhancing the conservation of this species in the wild.

The last set of babies born at the BPZOO was a baby Hoffman’s two-toed sloth in July 2021.

Hoffman’s two-toed sloth was born on June 22 to first time parents, 12-year-old female Sandy and 20-year-old male, Bernardo.

Red pandas became more famous in this Pixar film

Red Pandas were recently thrust into the spotlight as the main character in the 2022 Pixar movie "Turning Red." The movie is about a shy teenage red panda named Mei who gains the ability to transform into a superhero named Red every time she gets embarrassed.

Mei Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) transforms into a giant red panda when she becomes overly excited in Pixar's "Turning Red."
Mei Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) transforms into a giant red panda when she becomes overly excited in Pixar's "Turning Red."

When a mysterious force threatens to disrupt and destroy her city, Mei must use her newfound powers and join forces with her misfit group of friends to fight back.

The movie added extra attention on the endangered species and ways to help save the red panda population.

Here's how you can help support red pandas at the zoo

Support these little ones and their species’ conservation efforts with the “Red Panda Pals” program, which offers exclusive content, a limited-edition adoption package, a chance to submit a name suggestion and meet the cubs when the time comes.

BPZOO’s female red panda, 5-year-old Marie, gave birth to two cubs on May 27.
BPZOO’s female red panda, 5-year-old Marie, gave birth to two cubs on May 27.

A portion of the proceeds will go to BPZOO’s conservation initiatives around the world. With successful litters and the SSP’s guidance, there is now hope for the sustainability and survival of red pandas and their species.

More: A celebrity visited a DATMA exhibit in New Bedford on Saturday. This is who it was.

BPZOO is a Partner in Conservation with the Red Panda Network by helping in their campaign to Plant a Red Panda Home in Nepal. Once restored, the critical forest corridor that connects Nepal and India will be part of the Panchthar-Ilam-Taplejung Red Panda Protected Forest in Eastern Nepal: the world's FIRST protected area dedicated to red panda.

“Our red panda family is widely adored by guests, volunteers, and staff and we are excited to be one of five North American AZA accredited zoos celebrating the birth of red panda cubs this year," Henry said.

The Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the last admission at 4:15 p.m. from April through October, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last admission at 3:15 p.m. from November through March.

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter:@ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Red panda Marie gives birth to cubs at Buttonwood Park Zoo