Dudley Zoo welcomes rare red panda in hope to save endangered species
Dudley Zoo has welcomed an adorable new resident – a red panda named Carko.
The 11-month-old male is said to have settled in well with his new friend, Ember – a one-year-old female red panda who arrived at Dudley Zoo last summer.
Carko was flown from Sweden last week as part of a European Endangered Species breeding Programme (EEP), which aims to conserve a "healthy population" of animals in captivity.
Red pandas are classed as endangered in their native regions in China, Nepal, and Bhutan, where species numbers have halved in the last twenty years as a result of habitat loss, climate change and being hunted for the pet trade.
Team Leader, Laura Robbins, said: "We're really pleased to welcome Carko to DZC after he was matched to form a new breeding pair with Ember.
"Introductions went very smoothly and they both seemed to hit it off instantly.
"He's still a little nervous at the moment, which is to be expected, but we're making sure we spend extra time with him in the enclosure with some little treats to help build a bond with keepers."
