Oregon Zoo red panda Moshu diagnosed with severe heart disease
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — One of the Oregon Zoo’s most beloved animals is now facing changes amid a recent diagnosis.
The zoo announced Thursday in a social media post that Moshu, a red panda who has been there since 2019, now has severe heart disease.
Moshu came to the Oregon Zoo from the Nashville Zoo when he was 7 years old. At the Oregon Zoo, he was reunited with his longtime companion Mei Mei. In 2020, he fathered a cub when Mei Mei gave birth to Pabu. However, in February 2021, the zoo announced that Mei Mei and Pabu had moved to ZooMontana in Billings.
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Additionally, since red pandas generally have a laid back disposition, his keepers said it was hard to tell at first that something was wrong.
“He’s very laid back, there’s not a lot that ruffles his feathers,” said Nicole Nicassio-Hiskey, a keeper who regularly works with Moshu. “So it can be a little bit tricky to notice when things go awry with his health.”
But when they noticed more than usual lethargy in Moshu, the zoo performed an exam, eventually giving him the diagnosis.
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This brought some changes to Moshu’s routine, like getting cold laser therapy for pain and taking a new medication. Even so, the aging red panda still enjoys apple snacks during training sessions, soaked biscuits, bamboo and plenty of naps.
Bamboo eating, in particular, means he’s feeling good, according to Nicassio-Hiskey. Especially since Moshu is now considered “geriatric” at 12 and a half years old.
“It’s a blessing to work with Moshu every day,” she added. “Working with him knowing he’s nearing the end of his life. Keepers working to make his every day quality. We just want to make every day as comfortable as possible.”
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