Red Panda Joy Returns!
Our new red panda settles into her new home at Asian Adventure
Red panda fans, this one is for you. After losing our two much-loved resident red pandas last year, the zoo has felt a little empty without that familiar flash of russet fur in Asian Adventure. We are very happy to say that red pandas are back at Folly Farm, and our keepers (and guests) are already a little bit in love!
Say hello to Ariel, a six-year-old female red panda who joined us over the Easter holidays from Yorkshire Wildlife Park. She’s settled in beautifully in her Asian Adventure exhibit on the zoo, and guests are already stopping to watch her explore, snooze and snack her way around her new home.
Ariel is six years old and, like all red pandas, she is a big fan of a slow, gentle day. Most of her time is spent doing exactly what red pandas do best: eating bamboo, climbing to find the best viewpoint, grooming that lovely thick fur coat and enjoying a good rest in the sunshine. She’s made herself at home quickly in the red panda exhibit, getting to know every branch, shelter and platform. If you catch her at the right moment you will see her picking her way along the climbing areas, or stretched out in a cosy spot having a nap.
Our team has been busy giving the red panda exhibit in Asian Adventure some extra care and attention ahead of Aerials arrival. There’s been some home improvements to the red panda house, along with more climbing areas installed, extra shelters and new platforms. All of this gives Ariel more choice about where she spends her time, whether she wants to climb, explore or find a quiet corner. These changes are all about giving our red pandas the chance to behave as naturally as possible, and giving our visitors more to see as they move around the enclosure. Watching a red panda pick its way along a branch or curl up in a high shelter is prime viewing as far as we’re concerned!
“Ariel has come to us as part of the European Breeding Programme for red pandas, run through our membership of The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).
alan, zoo manager
This programme carefully manages red panda populations in zoos right across Europe, matching animals to create healthy, genetically diverse pairs.
By being part of this programme, we’re helping to safeguard the future of the species, and raise awareness and funds for conservation charities.”
Red pandas are classed as endangered in the wild, and their numbers are under pressure from habitat loss and other threats. As a zoo, part of our role is to care for these animals here, support conservation work, and help our visitors understand why species like red pandas need our help.
We’re hopeful that Ariel won’t be the only red panda here for long. She will be joined very soon by a young male red panda, who will also be moving to us through the EAZA European Breeding Programme. We are hopeful that, once her potential new mate has arrived and both animals have had time to settle and get to know each other, they will become a successful breeding pair in the future.
We’ll be sharing updates as soon as we have news on Ariels new housemate, and in time, how the pair are getting along. So keep an eye on our website and social media for red panda moments.
