Calgary Zoo baby red pandas venture out from their den
Name the panda contest launches after Thanksgiving
You just might get a glimpse of the two rare red baby pandas born earlier this year at the Calgary Zoo now that they're starting to step out of the comfort of their den.
The male cubs, born June 21, 2016 to mom Sakura and dad, Dusk, have been hunkered down in their cosy den, but are starting to gain some confidence and leave their mother's side.
"The cubs have been very bonded with their mom which has been excellent to see," says Matt Korhonen, a Calgary Zoo spokesperson. "We're so pleased that our husbandry practices combined with a strong female like Sakura has allowed us to be successful with our conservation efforts with this endangered species."
There are only 53 red pandas of their subspecies in the North American captive population and their three-month birthday marks the species population increase by four per cent.
The red panda is listed as endangered on the International Union For Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. There are fewer than 10,000 red pandas in the wild and their numbers are dwindling due to habitat loss.
As adorable as the pandas are, they still don't have names. The Calgary Zoo wants help from the public to name the two cubs through an online contest. It launches after Thanksgiving. For more information visit www.calgaryzoo.com.
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