The Greater Vancouver Zoo (GV Zoo) is welcoming a 10-year-old male red panda named Kelly.
Kelly was transferred from Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Man., and was greeted by GV Zoo staff and volunteers upon arrival. He will be joining Paprika, the zoo’s 8-year-old resident red panda, in the southern end of the zoo’s Asian section.
GV Zoo’s director of animal care Menita Prasad said Kelly quickly made himself at home.
“Kelly was very excited to discover his new home,” Prasad said. “He was so busy sniffing around and scent marking that he barely noticed Paprika.”
Meanwhile, Paprika took a more cautious approach.
“Paprika on the other hand was very aware of his presence and was quite protective of her spot in the tower, within their habitat,” Prasad said.
Kelly’s arrival is part of the red panda Species Survival Plan (SSP), a coordinated breeding program among accredited zoos. Prasad said Kelly is genetically well suited to Paprika.
“Kelly is genetically a match for Paprika,” she said.
Prasad added that people are eager to get to know the zoo’s newest resident.
“As with any new arrival, staff, volunteers, and guests are always thrilled to get to know the personality of our newest animal family member,” she said.
“Kelly is particularly visually striking due to his brilliant red coloration and his sheer volume of contrasting black fur. It gives him a much younger appearance.”
Red pandas typically live 10 to 12 years and are native to southwestern China and the eastern Himalayas. They live in temperate, high-altitude forests and rely heavily on bamboo, which makes up about 98 per cent of their diet.
Prasad said that dependence makes them especially vulnerable.
“Through coordinated breeding programs, like the SSP, zoos maintain healthy, genetically diverse populations that act as a safety net against extinction,” she said.
The zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased online at gvzoo.com or in person.
General admission is $38 for adults, $27 for seniors and students, and free for children two and younger.