BOISE, Idaho — Zoo Boise is celebrating its newest additions after two red panda cubs were born at the zoo last month.
The fraternal twin cubs were born to parents Dolly and Spud June 21 after the pair was matched up as part of the Red Panda Species Survival Program. The new cubs are the seventh litter for mother Dolly.
Zoo Boise has not said whether the red panda cubs are male, female, or one of each. The right to name them will be auctioned off at the annual Zoobilee gala on Aug. 27.
The cubs have spent their first few weeks of life in the den with their mother, but zoo officials say they will soon begin to venture out into the exhibit where visitors can get a look at them. Zoo staff has been giving Dolly and her babies plenty of privacy to avoid causing her stress.
Red pandas are native to southeast Asia, but are considered endangered with fewer than 10,000 left in the wild, making the twin birth a major win for Zoo Boise's conservation mission. The animals primarily eat bamboo, although they are also known to eat fruit, birds' eggs, insects and reptils.
To learn more about Zoo Boise's conservation efforts and how you can help, click here.
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