The golden girl of Symbio Wildlife Park’s red panda sanctuary, Chori, turned 16 on January 28. Zoo keeper Ash Clarke made a delicious cake to celebrate, using all Chori's favourite fruit and decorating it with fresh bamboo shoots.
Chori, who arrived at the Helensburgh zoo about six years ago to form part of its red panda captive breeding program, quickly become one of its stars, through her constant look of happiness.
She also plays a vital role in educating the public and helping further build their appreciation and understanding of endangered species.
Although technically in her twilight years, with the average lifespan of a red panda being 8 years, the spritely senior can be seen every day relaxing on her favourite branches alongside her roommate Indira.
Red pandas are most active in the mornings and late afternoons, so zoo staff said it was a good idea to time your visit.
The pandas in the wild share similar habitat as their larger and much more famous namesake, the Giant Panda.
Although they’re not related, just like the Giant Panda, they are now listed as an endangered species due to poaching, illegal trade, loss of habitat and introduced species.
See more in next week's Leader Zest section and Symbio.
