Gen Tso and Zeya are two of the Red Pandas living at the NEW Zoo in Suamico. Before International Red Panda Day, hear why zoo staff are hoping for a cub this breeding season.
- Three out of the 10,000 Red Pandas on earth have a home in northeast Wisconsin
- International Red Panda Day is Saturday, Sept. 21
- When it comes to whether Gen Tso and Zeya will have cubs, zoo staff say it’s ultimately up to the animals
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
Three of the 10,000 red pandas left in the world live right here at the NEW Zoo. I’m your Suamico neighborhood reporter Pari Apostolakos here with how staff are helping conserve this endangered species.
On any given day at the Northeast Wisconsin Zoo you’ll find visitors at this exhibit.
“It’s such a really nice place to come and visit,” Annette Miller said while at the zoo with her grandchildren Thursday.
“When we talk about [the animals] we talk about them as if they’re people,” Zookeeper Brent Koerner said.
The animals inside may look a little like raccoons. But they’re actually red pandas, an endangered species native to Asia. Zookeeper Brent Koerner’s job is to help take care of them.