Very sad news from Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle: 10-year-old female Red Panda Stellar died last week.
In the past couple of weeks she suffered from pain. A diagnostic exam by the zoo’s veterinary team revealed anemia, electrolyte abnormalities and skin lesions. Although she got medical care her health status worsened. A second exam showed that she had developed severe fluid accumulation in her chest which restricted her breathing. Due to the grave prognosis, the zoo made the decision to euthanize her.
A Great Personality
Stellar moved in 2008 from Edmonton Valley Zoo in Alberta, Canada, under a conservation breeding programm. At her new home zookeepers trained her for non-invasive ultrasound exams. “While Stellar would snack on blueberries or leaf-eater biscuits soaked in apple juice, she allowed our keepers and veterinary team to perform this diagnostic procedure over the past couple of years,” said Mark Myers, a curator at Woodland Park Zoo. Unfortunately, the Red Panda did not have any viable offspring.
“Stellar had a great personality and an adorable face that was hard to resist. She held a very special place in the hearts of her keepers and those in the community who had the pleasure of meeting her during special behind-the-scenes tours.”
Three Red Pandas
Woodland Park Zoo now houses three Red Pandas: famous 3-year-old male Red Panda Carson, Yukiko, a 12-year-old male and Hazel, a 1-year-old female who arrived in March.
Read more
Check out Woodland Park Zoo’s website where you can find a story about Stellar’s ultrasound exams. And you can also adopt a Red Panda!