PolWatch
06-30-2015, 04:56 PM
Too cute!
The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (https://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/) in Front Royal, Virginia, welcomed seven teeny furballs red panda cubs into the world over the past month -- and they're precious beyond measure.
http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/njte2.gif
The cubs were born to mothers Nutmeg, Regan and Leo Mei. Five of the babies are now being painstakingly hand-reared.
“Our animal care team is always hopeful that new moms will raise their own cubs, but that’s not always possible,” the Institute wrote in a Facebook post on June 20 (https://www.facebook.com/nationalzoo/videos/10153375629397902/?fref=nf).
Of the three mothers, one was reportedly diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and had to be euthanized. Another has reportedly been having difficulty nurturing her babies.
Despite the challenges, the cubs are said to be doing very well. CBS News reports the keepers feed the babies by hand up to seven times a day (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/saving-the-red-panda-species/).
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/29/red-panda-cubs-born-smithsonian_n_7685276.html
The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (https://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/) in Front Royal, Virginia, welcomed seven teeny furballs red panda cubs into the world over the past month -- and they're precious beyond measure.
http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/njte2.gif
The cubs were born to mothers Nutmeg, Regan and Leo Mei. Five of the babies are now being painstakingly hand-reared.
“Our animal care team is always hopeful that new moms will raise their own cubs, but that’s not always possible,” the Institute wrote in a Facebook post on June 20 (https://www.facebook.com/nationalzoo/videos/10153375629397902/?fref=nf).
Of the three mothers, one was reportedly diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and had to be euthanized. Another has reportedly been having difficulty nurturing her babies.
Despite the challenges, the cubs are said to be doing very well. CBS News reports the keepers feed the babies by hand up to seven times a day (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/saving-the-red-panda-species/).
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/06/29/red-panda-cubs-born-smithsonian_n_7685276.html