SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A Red panda cub born at the San Diego Zoo this summer now has a name, just in time for International Red Panda Day.
The San Diego Zoo announced the cub, who arrived on June 9, will be called Pavitra, which means “sacred” in Nepali.
Pavitra, whose parents are Adira and Lucas, was the first red panda born at the San Diego Zoo since 2006.
Visitors can see Pavitra in her Asian Passage habitat, located in the center of the San Diego Zoo property.
According to zoo officials, red pandas are considered endangered as their numbers continue to decrease.
“Red pandas are listed as Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, due to their dwindling global population. They face many threats, including habitat loss and degradation related to increased human encroachment and climate change. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance collaborates with multiple partners to identify unprotected red panda habitats, train teams to monitor the health of the forest and provide awareness-building workshops in communities in Nepal where red pandas live,” officials stated in a news release.
