Panda Updates – Monday, January 31

If you have visited the Zoo recently, you may have noticed that Jackie is a bit more active these days. This could be attributed to a few things. For one, red pandas are native to high elevations of the Himalayas. As such, the cold weather we have been experiencing is perfect for him! However, one of the biggest things potentially affecting his behavior is that we are heading into breeding season for red pandas. In the northern hemisphere, red pandas breed between January and March. The changing seasons, particularly changes in the amount of daylight observed, trigger this. Going into breeding season, Jackie is spending lots of time up and about scent marking his habitat. To scent mark, red pandas urinate and rub scent glands at the base of their tail in various areas. This leaves information to any other red pandas in the area about the individual that marked it. While Jackie may not be breeding, he is certainly making sure that his presence is known!

Megan H.
Keeper I, Mammals