Adorable Red Panda Cubs Debut at NYC Zoos

Four adorable red panda cubs are among the cutest new residents of the city's Bronx and Prospect Park zoos. 

Two cubs call the Himalayan Highlands at the Bronx Zoo, and the other two live at the Discovery Trail in Brooklyn's Prospect Park.

Both litters -- a male and female cub in each -- were born this summer.

Red pandas are native to Nepal, India, Bhutan, China, and Myanmar. The subspecies of red panda at the Bronx Zoo is found in the western part of their Himalayan range.

The Prospect Park pandas are a subspecies from the eastern portion of the range and are characteristically darker in color and slightly larger.

Panda cubs are born with a very soft, plush coat. They reach adulthood at around 18 months.

Adult red pandas have reddish-brown and black coats that serve as camouflage in the wild. They have an adaptation on their wrists much like a thumb that enables them to grasp food items like bamboo as well as tree branches.
 
Contact Us