Zoo Crew Reunites Endangered Red Pandas

How two adorable red pandas were matched up and transported to the National Zoo in Washington D.C.

How do you fix up an animal that refuses to date? Well, you go through an extensive matching process, and if successful, you send a private plane to pick up the potential match.

At least, that's what the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) and the National Zoo in Washington D.C. did recently for two red pandas. Red pandas, known for their reddish-brown fur, bushy tails, and masked faces, are an endangered species native to the Himalayas.

The male panda, named Rusty, was born in 2019 at the Knoxville Zoo in Tennessee. The female panda, named Shama, was born in 2020 at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Virginia. Both pandas were deemed to be genetically compatible and a good match for each other.

A Long Distance Relationship

As part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Rusty was sent to the National Zoo in Washington D.C. in March 2023. Shama was sent to the National Zoo in April 2023.

The SSP is a cooperative program among accredited zoos and aquariums in North America that aims to ensure the survival of endangered species. The program includes a variety of conservation measures, including captive breeding, research, and education.

Settling In

Rusty and Shama are now both in residence at the National Zoo. They are being kept in separate enclosures while they get used to their new surroundings.

Keepers are monitoring the pandas' behavior and providing them with enrichment activities to help them feel comfortable in their new home.

Hope for the Future

The National Zoo is hopeful that Rusty and Shama will eventually become a breeding pair. If they do, their offspring could help to increase the population of red pandas in North America.

Red pandas are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their populations have declined in recent years due to habitat loss, poaching, and climate change.

The National Zoo's breeding program is part of a global effort to save red pandas from extinction.