Blackpool Zoo welcomes two new very special additions!
Blackpool Zoo have announced that after over a decade of waiting for a red panda cub, two have come along at once!
The pair were born back in June to mum, Alina and dad, Tao Tao - who were left to care for the little boy and girl naturally.
Alina is a first-time mum who arrived at the resort's zoo during the first national lockdown.
The little ones are still nameless though so to celebrate their arrival, the park will be holding a competition to name them tomrorow (18th September) over on their social media pages.
There are only 10,000 red pandas left in the wild, which is why the keepers are so excited!
Luke Forster, Section Head of Birds, Reptiles and Small Mammals at Blackpool Zoo said: “It is wonderful to see Alina and Tao Tao become parents for the first time together.
“Alina settled in really well after arriving during Spring 2020 and we were hoping that she would breed, so this is just brilliant news.
“The timing also couldn't have been better, with Saturday 18th September being International Red Panda Day, which is dedicated to raising awareness of the plight of this species in the wild.
“They are classified as endangered on the IUCN Red List, with numbers still declining due to the loss of habitat from deforestation and the expansion of agriculture in their native Asian forests.
“These two tiny additions are a fantastic way to end what has been a great summer season here at Blackpool Zoo and we look forward to seeing them out and about in the coming months.”