The Potter Park Zoo recently welcomed a new addition to its family with the birth of a red panda cub. Born on June 19 to mother Maliha, this marks her third cub. The newborn, weighing 6.5 ounces, remains unnamed and is an important milestone for the zoo’s conservation efforts aimed at the endangered red panda species.
To ensure the well-being of both Maliha and her cub, the zoo has decided to keep them off the exhibit for close monitoring. The zoo staff has yet to determine the cub’s sex, but an examination by the animal care team is planned in the coming weeks to ascertain this.
Potter Park Zoo Welcomes Endangered Red Panda Cub, Birthed by Mother MalihaAnnie Marcum, the lead keeper of the carnivore area, expressed her delight with Maliha’s performance as a mother. According to Marcum, Maliha is very attentive and dedicated to her cub, which is nursing actively and showing healthy growth.
The cub’s father, Degan-Reid, who was paired with Maliha in 2021 through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Red Panda Species Survival Program, remains on exhibit. The Potter Park Zoo encourages visitors to see Degan-Reid and learn more about red pandas, celebrating the birth of a healthy cub.