Are you an animal lover? Let me tell you that two red pandas are the new incorporation of the Montana zoo. These two baby pandas have been melting everybody’s hearts since the day they were born (this past June 25), every visitor wants to see them. This beautiful news was made official on August 1, during an annual fundraiser event of the zoo, and from that moment these red pandas have been the talk of the town among workers and visitors.

It’s so cute to see them already showing their red and black fur, a signature feature that makes them look like small foxes or raccoons, and they are also starting to open their eyes, which is an exciting moment for those who are interested in their growth. So, let’s learn more about these baby animals.

A birth that helps conservation

Not only are these red pandas a joy for the zoo, but also it’s great news for the species conservation. Red pandas are considered ‘’endangered species’’ by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), that’s why every birth counts.

The Montana zoo belongs to a coordinated breeding program to increase the population in captivity. Here is where these red pandas were conceived because this program is in charge of, in this case, choosing Pabu and Pavitra (the red pandas’ parents) to pair with each other as part of a plan coordinated with other zoos. They did this to help the red pandas population grow and keep them healthy.

More about the parents

Pabu was born in June 2020 in the Oregon zoo and it arrived in Billings in 2021 along with its mother Mei Mei. Being 5 years old, it is already one of the most beloved animals by zoo visitors, and it’s known for its calm personality and attractive fur.

Now, let’s talk about Pavitra. It was born in June 2023 in the San Diego zoo and arrived at the Montana zoo in 2024 to be Pabu’s partner. The main difference between the parents is that Pavitra is more full of energy and greater at climbing than Pabu.

Life now

The two red pandas are taken care of by Pavitra inside their lair. The zoo has explained that they won’t be out in the public until the mother doesn’t feel comfortable enough to let the babies explore. So, if everything goes as planned, the red pandas could leave when they are three months old. Of course, this will depend on Pavitra and workers have to respect whatever the mother feels.

Red pandas out in nature

When they aren’t trapped in a lair and have freedom to move, red pandas mainly live in the forests of the eastern Himalayas. Here, there are less than 10,000 red pandas, and there are several threats:

Losing the habitat because of deforestation.
Poaching to get their skins, which will be then used for traditional garments.
Illegal traps placed to catch other species, but red pandas fall into these traps by accident.

The WWF is working in countries like India, Nepal, and Bhutan to protect these species by monitoring populations and promoting sustainable economic alternatives, so that those local communities don’t have to depend on activities harming the red panda habitat.

With a loss comes a new birth

The red pandas’ birth happened after weeks the zoo lost Duli, another beloved red panda. It arrived at the Lincoln Children’s Zoo (Nebraska) in 2015, and lived in Montana until July 10 of 2025. Unfortunately, it had to be sacrificed because it had health issues related to its age. However, it has reached the average life expectancy of red pandas since it was 14 years old.

Isn’t it a great story? I’m sure you are thinking about going and visiting the Montana zoo just to see these new pandas, I mean, who wouldn’t?