In Switzerland, two red pandas from a zoo took advantage of a snowstorm to escape from their enclosure. One of them even managed to slip into a nearby forest, but was eventually caught and brought back by zoo personnel.
According to reports from the Associated Press, the Walter Zoo in Gossau, Switzerland, stated that heavy snow caused branches to break inside the red pandas’ enclosure, providing a pathway for the female red pandas Li and Yen to climb freely.
The zoo shared the news of the red pandas’ escape on social media along with a short video. They reported that Li only ventured a few meters away, where she was found nibbling on branches with a resident baby alpaca in the zoo. However, Yen, described as “more adventurous,” escaped into the nearby forest.
With the help of a passerby and a hunting dog, zoo staff located Yen “enjoying a leisurely stroll in the forest.”
The post read, “After a brief sprint, our animal keepers safely caught her with a net and brought her back to the zoo.”
After a veterinary examination, it was determined that the red pandas were unharmed. Once their “escape route” was cleared, they were to be returned to their enclosure.
In a previous report by Dajiyuan, it was noted that despite the similarity in names between red pandas and giant pandas, their appearances have distinct differences. For example, giant pandas have black eye patches, while red pandas sport “white eye masks.” Giant pandas have a black and white color scheme, whereas red pandas are in shades of red-brown.
Furthermore, red pandas and giant pandas are not closely related in terms of lineage. Giant pandas belong to the bear family, while red pandas belong to the red panda family, being the only species within that family. Red pandas are actually more closely related to members of the raccoon, weasel, and skunk families.
(Click here to view the original post and related video clip.)
Overall, the incident drew attention to these adorable creatures, highlighting not only their playful antics but also their unique characteristics that distinguish them from their more famous giant panda cousins.