Pair of rare red pandas born at Wiltshire's Longleat
It's part of an international endangered species breeding programme
There's been two new arrivals at Wiltshire's Longleat safari park - a pair of rare red pandas.
The babies were born at the end of June, with the news released ahead of International Red Panda Day this weekend.
The two males are said to be 'developing well and hitting key milestones'.
Both mum Emma and dad Lionel are considered critically important members of the European Endangered Species Programme for the red panda due to their diverse genetics.
Keeper Samantha Peeke said:
“Every animal birth is always special and exciting, but breeding an endangered species is an incredible thing to be part of.
“As the cubs grow, they will go onto join the endangered species breeding programme and help ensure the survival of their species.
“Whilst they are young, they spend most of their time inside one of the nest boxes in the enclosure, where Emma feeds and cleans them."
Keepers check on the cubs throughout the day and monitor Emma closely, adapting her diet and environment as needed to ensure she has everything she needs to look after them.
The cubs are also regularly weighed to ensure their continued growth and development.
Longleat has extensive experience of looking after and breeding red pandas, with six previous cubs having been successfully reared at the park, all of which have gone on to join breeding programmes at other collections across Europe.
Important species
The red panda is officially recognised as endangered in the wild, meaning the species faces a high risk of extinction in the near future.
Numbers are thought to be as low as 2,500 in the wild, having come under threat from deforestation and habitat loss, as well as poaching and the illegal pet trade.
Red pandas are carnivores, but their natural diet consists mostly of bamboo, each red panda can eat 20,000 bamboo leaves a day in the wild.
Longleat has its own bamboo plantation to provide a regular supply of fresh bamboo leaves, replicating their wild diet as closely as possible.
Due to bamboo being low in energy red pandas can spend a large amount of their day sleeping to conserve energy and can often be seen snoozing in the trees of their enclosure.
In addition to being part of the European Endangered Species Programme for the Red Panda, Longleat is also helping to fund habitat restoration and replanting projects in Nepal.