Red Panda Alert – New Exhibit Coming To The Maryland Zoo This Weekend

BALTIMORE — The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore offers local access to a variety of exciting animal exhibits, including elephants, giraffes and, soon, two female red pandas. The upcoming exhibit will offer a glimpse into how these fascinating animals live in the wild, complete with climbing equipment and water features to keep the red pandas engaged all day.

Situated in Main Valley near the zoo’s entrance, the red panda exhibit is set to open to the general public on Saturday, June 13. This will be the first time in decades that a new animal has been added to the Maryland Zoo alongside a new habitat.

The latest exhibit will offer separate habitats for each red panda and air conditioning to keep the temperature just right for the zoo’s newest members. The Maryland Zoo has also installed cameras around the space to keep tabs and ensure that the red pandas have everything they need.

Manager Sarah Kriebel explained in an interview with WBAL-TV 11 News that the zoo is currently focused on building dens with perches for the red pandas, offering an exciting way for the animals to explore their new home.

“We are going to be designing them mostly for perching and for access to our shift doors to be able to go out onto exhibit. We’ve got a lot of high platforms. We’ll be building nest boxes that will be up off the ground,” Kriebel said.

The perches will be high off the ground, offering more than enough space for the red pandas to stretch their legs, as Kriebel explained:

“Some of these perches go way up, and we also have abilities to go even higher, which is really exciting.”

Visitors can look forward to exploring the red panda exhibit on June 13. Tickets for children and adults cost $33 per person, while senior citizens can get in for only $28. You can plan your trip today by visiting MarylandZoo.org.

What Are Red Pandas?

Naturally found in China and the Himalayas, red pandas are mammals that spend much of their time exploring treetops in dense forests. Red pandas are currently classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to their dwindling numbers.

Some figures have estimated that fewer than 10,000 red pandas remain in the wild, so preserving their species in captivity is an important priority.

While they aren’t closely related to actual pandas genetically, these creatures share a similar diet that prioritizes bamboo, though they also occasionally eat insects and berries. Despite being classified as carnivores, red pandas overwhelmingly eat plants, and you may even get to see one of these animals munching on bamboo if you visit the Maryland Zoo.

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