Red panda cub and zebra foal born at Auckland Zoo over Christmas

Thursday, 26 December 2019

There were two new arrivals born at Auckland Zoo this Christmas - a red panda cub and a zebra foal. 

Born the week before Christmas on December 18, the panda cub is the second for mum, Khela, who gave birth to male cub Tashi this time last year. 

Auckland Zoo announced the cub's arrival on its social media accounts.  

'Our carnivore keepers are over the moon with the news yet will be maintaining a 'hands-off' approach for the next few weeks to allow Khela to care for the cub naturally,' the post on Instagram said. 

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Keepers have been checking the nestbox camera regularly and can see the yet-to-be-sexed cub is well and suckling as it should.

Auckland Zoo said at around eight weeks of age the cub will be sexed and named, so animal lovers are asked to stay tuned for updates in the new year.

The zoo's second Christmas arrival, a zebra foal, was born on Boxing Day.

'Our ungulates keepers are pleased the birth went well and the foal is looking healthy, but as with all young it is still early days,' an Auckland Zoo spokesperson said on Instagram. 

'The sex isn't known at this stage but we'll keep you posted on the foal's progress.'

The Nepalese red panda is currently listed as an endangered species and is under threat from deforestation and illegal hunting. The zoo's breeding program also supports Nepal's Red Panda Network.

The plains zebra is found throughout much of southern and eastern Africa and is classified as 'near threatened'.