Hypothermia may have been cause for red panda deaths
The safari park today confirmed the 'incredibly sad' news
Last updated 16th Dec 2022
Longleat say their twin red panda cubs have died - possibly from hypothermia.
The Wiltshire-based safari park say they'd recently added extra food, shelter and bedding for the animals - and temperatures on site were still above what they might have faced in the wild.
The pair were born this Summer as part of a breeding programme for endangered species.
A Longleat spokesperson says the animals were found yesterday with 'initial investigations pointing towards hypothermia and the weaning process - with mum Emma no longer offering supportive feeds as the most likely reason' for their deaths.
Earlier this year the park said Emma was 'proving to be an exceptional first-time parent' and shared their excitement about the two arrivals
This video was released in September
People have been expressing their sympathy online, with the park itself pointing out how difficult it must be for everyone - including the keepers who formed a 'special bond' with the pair.
Around one in five panda cubs survive in the wild.