Tiny endangered red panda cub born at safari park

By Ed Chatterton

A rare endangered red panda cub has been born at a UK safari park.

The fluffy new arrival was only discovered when keepers heard tiny squeaks coming from a nest box at West Midlands Safari Park.

The adorable cub, whose sex is not yet known, was born on June 21, to experienced mom, six-year-old Mei Lin and dad, eight-year-old Sanka.

For the next few weeks, keepers will continue to monitor the newborn and Mei Lin from a safe distance.

They will then perform a quick health check at three-months-old, where they will determine the sex of the cute cub and pick a name.

The birth comes a month after the park said goodbye to the cub’s big sisters, who moved to other zoos as part of the endangered species breeding program in May.

Head keeper Vicky McFarlane, said, “Following last year’s red panda cubs, Nadiya and Nikisha, leaving for their new homes just a few short weeks ago, we are overjoyed to announce that Mei Lin has given birth to another beautiful red panda cub.

“Mei Lin is an experienced mum, having had three cubs previously and she knows exactly what to do, so keepers leave her undisturbed to do what she does best.

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"So, the cub will stay in the nest box, growing bigger every day for the next few months, under the careful supervision of mom.

“With a wild population of less than 10,000 individuals, every red panda birth is special and aids conservation efforts for this endangered species.”

The cub is the fourth to be born at the attraction in Bewdley, Worcs., in as many years.

Its name will begin with the letter ‘O’, as all animals born at the Park in 2026 have names starting with this letter.

Mei Lin arrived at the Park in August 2021 and was joined by male, Sanka, in March 2022, as part of an EEP (EAZA Ex-Situ Programme), which is a collaboration between European zoos to conserve endangered species.

Red pandas are listed as "endangered" by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), due to threats such as the loss, degradation and fragmentation of their habitat, caused by human activities.

The park said reports of poaching and hunting are also on the rise as well as smuggling live red pandas for the illegal wildlife trade.

Red pandas spend the first few months of their lives growing in their dens with their mother.

Guests are unlikely to see the cub out and about until it is about four months old.