‘Rare’ set of endangered triplets born at Nebraska zoo. See the siblings thrive
Three tiny creatures snuggled together mark a “rare” moment at a Nebraska zoo.
The tiny siblings are red pandas — endangered creatures with a “ruddy”-colored coat — who were born in August, the Lincoln Children’s Zoo announced in a Nov. 7 Facebook post.
The one female and two male red panda cubs were born at the zoo to mom Tián and dad Rowan.
Over the past three months, the cubs have bonded and started to grow.
“It’s rare for a red panda to raise triplets successfully, but Tián is an experienced and attentive mom, and keepers are able to check in and weigh the cubs as needed because of the great relationship our animal team has built with her,” the zoo said.
The zoo says the cubs, whose names have not been announced, are learning to climb and explore outside their “nest boxes.”
Red pandas are an endangered species known for their stealthy climbing skills that allow them to escape predators, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute.
They weigh between 3 and 4 ounces when born and can weigh between 8 to 17 pounds when they are fully grown, the Smithsonian said. Red pandas are native to Asia, living primarily in mountainous regions in Nepal, India, Tibet, Bhutan, China and Myanmar.
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“After giving birth, in the wild female red pandas will use tree hollows or rock crevices lined with plant material for nests,” the zoo said in a news release. “To replicate this, Zookeepers at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo created six nest boxes behind the scenes with bamboo and wood wool inside as nesting material. The multiple nest boxes allow Tián to choose which box she wants them in. Red panda moms will move their cubs around to keep them away from predators or when there are environmental stressors. Mothers will spend almost all their time in the nest box with the cubs for a few months. At three months old, the cubs are currently learning how to climb and venturing out of the nest boxes for short periods of time.”
The cubs are staying out of public view as they develop, the zoo said.
This story was originally published November 7, 2024 at 2:44 PM with the headline "‘Rare’ set of endangered triplets born at Nebraska zoo. See the siblings thrive."
