Word has come that two red pandas, an endangered species, were born at Seoul Grand Park and are growing up without incident.
Seoul Grand Park said on the 21st that the twin baby red pandas born on the 19th are currently in very good health.
The newborn animals were born to the female Rian from Tama Zoo in Japan and the male Ravi from Calgary Zoo in Canada.
To boost the population of red pandas, which have exacting ecological traits, Seoul Grand Park has devoted special care. In light of their strong sensitivity to surrounding sounds, the park assembled and provided a modular private shelter that would make them feel secure. It also managed weight by designing a diet centered on bamboo and fresh bamboo shoots, having identified the physiological trait that they cannot conceive if they become overweight.
Since the birth of the baby red pandas, the park has monitored their movements around the clock with observation cameras to guard against any unforeseen risks. It also blocked the viewing area to prevent outside access so the mother and cubs would not feel mental fatigue, and even keepers are minimizing their entries, concentrating all efforts on creating a comfortable environment.
Because red pandas have weak immunity and are vulnerable to disease, Seoul Grand Park has completed essential preventive vaccinations and does not plan to show them to the public until their condition stabilizes. Instead, to ease the disappointment of citizens curious about the growing cubs, the park plans to produce and release a self-made documentary video capturing their daily growth for online users.
Park Jin-sun, director of Seoul Grand Park, said, "We are very pleased to share the precious news of the birth of red pandas, an endangered species, amid a crisis in which climate change and biodiversity are under threat," adding, "We will not only pay meticulous attention so the red pandas can grow up healthy, but also do our utmost to fulfill the zoo's role in species conservation and to realize animal welfare going forward."