Tuesday, Feb. 05, 2008
Philly zoo gets 2nd red panda
- The Associated PressPHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Zoo has a new tenant - a second red panda.
Jing Li, a female red panda almost two years old, has joined the zoo as a companion to Sparkler, the zoo's 16-year-old male red panda.
Mark Hayes, a keeper for the zoo's carnivore team, says it's not what you think. He says Jing Li was brought in just for company for Sparkler. Zoo officials feel that she's too young and he's too old to mate, but zoos don't like to house the animals singly.
Jing Li is not the kind of black-and-white panda you might expect. These animals have a red, rust-colored fur, and their legs and underbelly are black. They also have a raccoon-like tail.
Jing Li was acquired from the Kansas City Zoo.
Information from: Karin Phillips/KYW-AM, http://www.kyw1060.com
He did look a little lonely last time I was there.
