Video shows red panda born at Michigan zoo
(CBS DETROIT) - A red panda was recently born at a Michigan zoo, just two days after a different zoo in the state welcomed red panda twins.
The red panda cub was born to Maliha at the Potter Park Zoo on June 19. This is Maliha's third successful litter with the cub's father, Degan-Reid.
When it was initially examined, the cub weighed 185 lbs. and has been nursing throughout the day. Staff at the zoo monitor the cub and her mom daily with a nest box camera.
The zoo says red panda cubs are born deaf, blind and tiny, and open their eyes within two weeks of being born.
Wellness checks will be administered regularly throughout the next few weeks, including one to determine the cub's sex.
"Maliha is doing wonderfully as a mother," said Annie Marcum, the carnivore area lead keeper at Potter Park Zoo. "She's very attentive and has been caring for the newborn with great dedication. The cub is actively nursing and growing well."
After about two months, the cub will start wandering outside the next. Due to the first few months being a time for critical growth, Maliha and the newborn will be off-exhibit, but the team at the zoo will continue to share updates.
With less than 250 red pandas in AZA zoos, the birth of this red panda is quite an achievement for the zoo.
"This birth is a milestone for Potter Park Zoo and a significant achievement in the conservation efforts for this endangered species," the zoo said in a release. "Degan-Reid, who arrived from the Knoxville Zoo in 2021, was paired with Maliha by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Red Panda Species Survival Program. This program strategically pairs animals to maintain genetic diversity within the captive population."
The endangered animal is native to the forests of the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China and is declining in population due to habitat loss and poaching.
Twin red pandas were born at the Detroit Zoo just days before this red panda cub was born at the Potter Park Zoo.
Ravi, a 7-year-old red panda, and Ginger, a 3-year-old red panda, a first-time mom, welcomed the cubs on June 17.
