Twin red pandas are extremely rare
(Mirror Daily, United States) Animal lovers out there have a new reason to be happy about. Twin red pandas were born last month at a Somerset zoo in the United Kingdom. Their birthplace is actually a safari park, and they are happy with their home.
The red panda mom must be a very proud mom, as their species rarely gives birth to twins. As a result, the twin red pandas were more than welcome at the safari park. People working there take good care of the mother and her unique babies, which have an excellent health status.
The happy red panda family has now four members: the mother, named Rufina, the father, named Ajenda, and their two cubs. The parents come from different zoos in the world, namely one in Italy, and the other in Germany, respectively. The female has been with the Somerset Park for three years, while the male had been brought there one year before her.
The twin red pandas are the new hope of the Somerset Park as they are an endangered species. Their parents are part of a recovery program for endangered animals.
Red pandas originate from Asian countries, such as China and Nepal. They mostly feed on bamboos leaves. However, the keepers at the Somerset Park take extra care of the twin red pandas and their parents. The animals are given eggs, insects, and fruits as additional food, apart from their bamboos based diet.
Red pandas are solitary animals, but the family at the Somerset Park gets along very well. The mother of the twins takes excellent care of the cubs, feeds them and constantly changes their nests. Sam Allworty is one of the in charge employees at the zoo, and he assures the public that the red panda family is doing well.
There are few red pandas left in the wild. Wildlife experts think that there are about ten thousand individuals around the world. They are considered an endangered species, and one of the greatest threats that they are exposed to is habitat loss. They live in forests which seem to be threatened by human activity. Another of humans’ actions which endanger the red panda populations is poaching. Although the animals are protected by law, there are still hunters who go after them.
Authorities are aware that red pandas need their help to regain their initial numbers. This is why the birth of the twin red pandas at the Somerset Park is excellent news for environmentalists.
Image courtesy of: Wikipedia