A new wooded outdoor habitat modeled after the Himalayan foothills is slated to open at the Minnesota Zoo this weekend and will feature red pandas, cranes and a deer, zoo official said.
The Red Panda Forest Habitat, on the Northern Trail at the zoo, will open Saturday, May 31. It will contain two red panda brothers named Cedar and Spruce. In addition, there will be a western tufted deer and two red-crowned crane sisters.
“These three animals depend on the unique mix of bamboo forests, mountainsides, wetlands and river valleys,” zoo officials said.
The new habitat gives the three species a natural environment to explore that includes climbing structures crafted from a repurposed oak tree that fell on the zoo campus. It also includes nesting boxes and feeders constructed of bamboo.
“The habitat was designed with each species’ well-being in mind — while also prioritizing the Zoo’s commitment to sustainability and our planet,” according to the zoo.
Red pandas, an endangered species, are skilled climbers in the moss-covered treetops of the forest, zoo officials said. Their ruddy-colored coat acts as camouflage in the Himalayan forest because it matches the moss on the canopy of trees where they live.
These two pandas were born in August 2024 at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo in Nebraska with their sister, Juniper. Red panda triplets are extremely rare, zoo officials said. The triplets represent 25% of all red pandas born in North American zoos last year.
Male western tufted deer are noted for their fang-like canine teeth that they use for defense, dominance battles and mating displays, zoo officials said. The Minnesota Zoo deer, named Douglas, came from Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Ohio. His favorite food is sweet potato and he expresses curiosity with a ‘click’ sound. “Western tufted deer can also bark, whistle and whine,” zoo officials said.
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The red-crowned crane is one of the rarest cranes in the world. There will be two 9-month-old sisters at the Red Panda Forest, arriving from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. Their distinctive red heads and snowy white feathers will develop at 2 years old, the zoo said.
Panda-themed activities will take place on the plaza throughout the opening weekend of the new habitat.
Zoo officials said the public can sponsor a red panda, which supports the animals at the zoo “while forming a deeper connection with wildlife.” Each red panda sponsorship includes four exclusive updates, along with a certificate of sponsorship.
For more information, visit mnzoo.org/redpandaforest/.
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