The Toronto Zoo's Red Panda Cub Has Died & He Was Only 3 Months Old
"Our teams are hurting and grieving from this incredibly sudden loss."
Red panda cub at the Toronto Zoo.
The Toronto Zoo announced today that its red panda cub has died suddenly. The cub, known as Baby Spice, was only three months old, and staff at the zoo are "hurting and grieving" from this unexpected loss.
In a press release, the zoo stated that "the cub showed no signs of illness at the beginning and end-of-day check-ins" on Saturday morning. On Sunday, however, things took a turn and Wildlife Care staff "found him lying on his side and extremely weak."
The panda was taken to the Wildlife Health Centre (WHC) and treated by the veterinary team, who gave him antibiotics, put him on oxygen and administered fluids. The cub was "stable for a short period of time," but then he "stopped breathing and had no pulse." The team attempted to resuscitate him with no success.
A post-mortem exam was done, and samples were collected for additional testing to determine the cause of the panda's sudden death.
Recently, the zoo launched a name contest for the cub and shared that Wildlife Care keepers called him "Dash."
"Dash brought us keepers so much joy. It was wonderful to see his mom, Paprika, become such an amazing mother and to see the bond develop between her and Dash," the Wildlife Care keepers said in the press release.
"To watch as he grew from a hesitant cub to a brave little boy will be one of our fondest memories. We are sad that our time with him was so short but we will cherish every moment we shared with him."
Dash's mom, Paprika, is said to be "doing well." The zoo noted that red pandas are difficult to breed and pose many survival challenges before and after birth.
"We are grateful to have such dedicated staff, who continue to provide excellent care to our animals amidst the heartache of this sudden loss," the zoo said.