Panda Updates – Wednesday, October 30

As animal care professionals, our top priority is making sure the animals in our care live comfortable and fulfilled lives. For this reason, if you visit the Zoo on a particularly cold, windy or heavily rainy day, you might notice that some of the animals have access to their behind-the-scenes areas and have the option to spend time there or in their habitats. We provide the animals with the choice of where they want to spend their time as long as it does not compromise their safety. Idgie the red panda, for example, sometimes enjoys lying out in the rain, while other times she wants nothing to do with it. We provide her with the option to enjoy her behind-the-scenes nest box so that she can remain comfortable even during the rainiest of days. The mesh you see on the right is actually a protective barrier for a heater so that we can provide cozy temperatures for Idgie all year long. The flaps you see lead back out to her habitat so she can come and go as she pleases, and the cute face you see that we all love so much is a comfy red panda enjoying some cozy time on a cold and rainy day. If you’re planning a trip to the Zoo and want to make sure the animals you’d like to visit are going to be in their habitats, you can call and check before you arrive. Animal care teams update our admissions gates regularly so they will have the most up-to-date information each day.
Danica W.
Keeper II, Mammals

(photo by Danica W.)