Sunset Zoo Release
It’s a girl! Sunset Zoo is excited to announce that red panda parents, Loofah and Simone, gave birth to a cub on July 14th. Staff made the difficult decision to hand-rear the cub after Simone did not show proper maternal care. Now under the close monitoring of zookeeper staff, the cub is thriving.
“The first 30 days of a red panda cub’s life are critical, and our staff are tending to the cub’s needs around the clock to ensure the best care possible,” said Head Keeper, Caitlin Kenney. “The good news is, this little girl is a fighter. She has already overcome several obstacles and she continues to grow and flourish.”
“A huge thank you to our zookeeper staff and veterinary team for their exceptional dedication to nurturing our red panda cub, which we have named Sunisa, Suni for short” says Zoo Director Scott Shoemaker. “Suni reminds us of the important role Sunset Zoo plays in conservation. Protecting endangered species like the red panda is essential for maintaining biodiversity and educating our community about the importance of wildlife preservation.”
Zookeeper staff chose the name Suni as an ode to Olympic gymnast Sunisa Lee. In Cambodian, Sunisa means “freedom” and in Thai means “beautiful, or good night.” It’s particularly fitting with Simone as her mother’s name. Cub Suni also has a fun middle name, Floofah, to fit with her father Loofah and uncle Doofah.
Suni is currently behind the scenes and not viewable to the public at this time.
Red pandas, native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, are classified as “endangered” by the IUCN Red List, meaning they are at significant risk for extinction in their native ranges in the near future. With wild populations decreasing and their native habitat facing increasing threats, including deforestation and climate change, the red pandas found at Sunset Zoo and at accredited institutions around the world serve as a genetic safety net against possible extinction in the wild.
