Tucson's Reid Park Zoo welcomes second red panda

After a month of anticipation, a second red panda has arrived at the Reid Park Zoo.

Three-year-old Lhotse (pronounced loht-sey) arrived in Tucson from the Oklahoma City Zoo earlier this week. 

He joined 7-year-old female Princess Lily, who made her debut at the zoo in early November. 

The zoo said they gave Lhotse some time to acclimate to the habitat prior to meeting his new female friend. 

“It is very common for red pandas to do short chases, followed by one panda often jumping onto the other with a quick roll," said Dr. Sue Tygielski, Reid Park Zoo’s general curator. "When first introduced, this is exactly what we saw." 

Tygielski said the zoo's Animal Care Team is continually monitoring the pair to ensure they remain comfortable during their stay in Tucson. 

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Red pandas, which aren’t related to giant pandas, are native to forests in the foothills of the Himalayas and primarily eat bamboo, according to information provided by the zoo.

There are fewer than 10,000 left in the wild, and the major threat they face is habitat destruction from cattle grazing.

You can visit the two pandas in Tucson at their temporary habitat through the spring, before the they move onto their final destination in Utah.