Those two adorable (and sometimes mischievious) red pandas are leaving Woodland Park Zoo. The last chance to see them is Sunday, April 14.
Zeya and Ila were born to mom Hazel and dad Yukiko in June 2018, the first successful red panda birth at Woodland Park Zoo in 29 years. They made their public debut last fall and have stolen the hearts of countless zoo guests and the community. And remember how much alarm they caused when they temporarily went on the lam last December?
Like human siblings, the two are showing "signs of wanting to be separated from each other," explained Mark Myers, an animal curator.
So Zeya is heading to Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo & Adventure Park in Green Bay, Wis., and Ila is moving to Toronto Zoo in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Zoo officials hope that Hazel and Yukiko go on to have more children.
And Zeya and Ila, both females, will soon reach breeding age and, in their new homes, they'll be introduced to prospective mates.
Red panda facts: They resemble raccoons, more than pandas and are believed to be related to skunks, weasels and raccoons.
Fewer than 10,000 red pandas remain in their native habitat of bamboo forests in China, the Himalayas and Myanmar.
Fall/winter zoo hours, in effect through April 30, are 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily if your family wants to go say goodbye. Go here for more details on visiting Woodland Park Zoo.
