Chattanooga Zoo has announced that Pilatus, a red panda born at the Zoo one year ago, will be moving to Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut. He is moving to be with Ponya, a one-year-old female, in hopes that they will reproduce.
Before Pilatus leaves, Chattanooga Zoo is hosting a send-off this Friday, June 27, from 2 to 4 p.m. by the outdoor red panda enclosure. As part of the party, attendees can enter a raffle where one winner will be selected to participate in a face-to-face experience with Pilatus and feed him grapes.
The event will also feature art created by Pilatus, commemorative stickers, special enrichment for the red pandas and a limited run of t-shirts featuring Pilatus.
“Pilatus was the first red panda cub born here in eight years, so he is really special to the entire community,” said Darde Long, president and CEO of Chattanooga Zoo. “We have loved spending the past year with Pilatus, and we will miss him so much, but we know it’s important for him to move on.”
Pilatus is part of the Red Panda Species Survival Plan (SSP) that strategically regulates mating to ensure there is a healthy, genetically diverse population of red pandas within zoos for many years to come. Pilatus’ parents, Saffron and Avi, were matched up through the SSP, and now Pilatus and Ponya have been selected to mate.
Red pandas grow to their adult size when they are one year old, and they will generally leave their mother at that time, meaning that the timing is right for Pilatus to move on. They reach sexual maturity at about 18 months. Red pandas are typically solitary animals, only interacting during breeding season.
With an estimated 10,000 red pandas left in the wild, they are an endangered species. They live in the mountainous forests of the Himalayas and in surrounding countries like China, India and Nepal. They face a variety of threats including habitat loss, mining, invasive species and habitat alterations due to climate change.
“A huge part of our mission at Chattanooga Zoo is to connect people with wildlife and help them appreciate and care about species from around the globe — especially endangered species.” said Long. “It’s much easier to care about something you can actually see. We also financially support Red Panda Network, which is a great organization doing hands-on conservation work in red panda habitats.”
Community members can come celebrate Pilatus on June 27 from 2 to 4 p.m. before he moves to Connecticut. The event is free with Zoo admission and commemorative merchandise will be available for purchase. Attendees will be entered into a drawing to go on-exhibit with Pilatus and feed him grapes. That drawing will take place at 3:45 p.m.
Willa, a red panda who recently passed away at Chattanooga Zoo, will also be honored at the event. Willa was nearly 11 years old, surpassing the life expectancy for female red pandas of her subspecies.
For more information about Chattanooga Zoo, visitchattzoo.org.