Rare Red Panda Cubs Open Their Eyes to the World

Rare red pandas, one of Asia’s most threatened species, have been born at Auckland Zoo as part of a global management plan.

The two cubs, born on 3 January, each weighing about 100 grams, were the second and third offspring of a 4-year-old female and 13-year-old male that came from India’s Darjeeling Zoo in 2010.

“They have now opened their eyes and are moving about in the nest box a little more, and will sometimes huff at us,” acting carnivore team leader Lauren Booth said.

The cubs would be sexed at around 12-weeks-old and would in time leave Auckland Zoo to contribute to the international breeding program, Booth said.

Original article by English.news.cn.


Tags: Auckland  Auckland Zoo  Darjeeling Zoo  India  Lauren Booth  red pandas  Xinhua News  

Unique Prehistoric Dolphin Discovered

Unique Prehistoric Dolphin Discovered

A prehistoric dolphin newly discovered in the Hakataramea Valley in South Canterbury appears to have had a unique method for catching its prey, Evrim Yazgin writes for Cosmos magazine. Aureia rerehua was…