A pair of rare red pandas have been born at Longleat Safari Park. The rare pandas were born in the summer and handlers said they are developing well, according to BBC.
The safari park said, "Mum and dad, Emma and Lionel, play an essential role in a global breeding programme to help bolster the population of red pandas, and the hope is that their twin boys will one day move onto other collections and have families of their own."
According to Longleat Safari, red pandas are endangered, with only 2,500 thought to remain in the wild, and face the threat of extinction in the near future due to deforestation and habitat loss, as well as poaching and the illegal pet trade.
The zoo informed on Instagram that for now, the twins spend most of their days snoozing in the nest boxes here, with the family being provided with a regular supply of fresh bamboo leaves from our very own plantation.
See the pics here:
The cubs were born in June, but the zoo has only now released the details about them.
The zoo told BBC that the twins will be checked on throughout the day and Emma will be monitored closely whilst keepers adapt her diet and environment as needed to ensure she has everything she needs to look after them. The cubs will also be regularly weighed to ensure their continued growth and development.
Keeper Samantha Peeke told the media outlet, "Every animal birth is always special and exciting, but breeding an endangered species is an incredible thing to be part of."
"As the cubs grow, they will go on to join the endangered species breeding programme and help ensure the survival of their species.
"While they are young, they spend most of their time inside one of the nest boxes in the enclosure, where Emma feeds and cleans them," she added.
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