Rare Red Panda Gives Birth To Amazingly Cute Baby In Zoo
A rare red panda at a British zoo has given birth for the third time in just over a year – and the newborn is super cute.
The baby, thought to be a female, was born earlier this summer to mother Mulan at Drusillas Park in East Sussex.
The one-month-old red panda is rarely seen outside her mother’s protective embrace.
Female red pandas may only be fertile for one day each year, but Mulan has had three births in 14 months. She gave birth to two mixed-sex twins at the zoo in June last year.
Mulan has been carrying her new “puff” by the scruff of the neck in their enclosure.
Head keeper Mark Kenward said: “The red pandas have three separate nest boxes and Mulan will move the baby from one to another, carrying her by the scruff of the neck, so she benefits from the most suitable environment.
“Mulan is proving to be an excellent mother once again. For the first two days, she remained with her cub approximately 90 per cent of the time.
“However, after a few days this dropped to around 60 per cent, which is exactly what we would expect of this species.
“The baby has now opened her eyes and is starting to explore her surroundings with caution.
“She is still very dependent on Mulan and it will be a little while yet before this changes.”
(Pictures: South West News Service)
