Four furry little red pandas have been born at the Denver Zoo, only the fifth recorded birth of quadruplets at an accredited U.S. zoo.
The four cubs, three males and one female, were born to mother Sophia and father He-Ping on July 9.
The red pandas are classified as endangered, with an estimated population of less than 2,500 mature pandas remaining in the mountains of southeast Asia.
The adult parents are fairly new arrivals at the zoo, He-Ping coming from the Milwaukee Zoo and Sophia from the Mill Mountain Zoo in Roanoke, Va.
According to the Denver Zoo, the two were paired under the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, which attempts to ensure healthy populations and genetic diversity among zoo animals.
The couple, according to officials, has proven to be an excellent match. In addition to the quadruplets, Sophia gave birth to twins last summer.
The cubs will be kept with their mother for the next three months behind the scenes in an air-conditioned den area. The cubs will be vaccinated and given the opportunity to grow and develop before venturing out into an exhibit for public viewing this fall.
The red panda — a relative of the giant panda having thick, cream-colored fur — is well-suited to Denver’s climate, which is similar to the Himalayas, where red pandas are found. Their diet consists primarily of bamboo.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
