The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is pleased to announce the arrival of a healthy male red panda cub. The cub was born late in the evening on Thursday, July 20, at the OKC Zoo’s red panda habitat in Sanctuary Asia to first-time mom, Khyana, 4, and father, Benjamin, 8. Caretakers report that Khyana is demonstrating appropriate maternal behaviors such as grooming and nursing her offspring and both are in good health. During the cub’s first veterinary examination, he weighed 131 grams, approximately 1/4 of a pound.
“We are so excited to welcome this new addition to the Zoo’s animal family and are beyond thrilled that Khyana is such a nurturing mother,” said Tyler Boyd, OKC Zoo’s curator of carnivores. “While we don’t yet know when the cub will be on public view, mom and her offspring are doing well and bonding behind-the-scenes at their habitat.”
Benjamin came to the OKC Zoo from The Cape May County Park & Zoo in 2021 and Khyana was born at the OKC Zoo’s Sanctuary Asia habitat in June of 2019. The two were paired as part of a Species Survival Plan® (SSP) recommendation. SSP programs are developed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help oversee the husbandry and breeding management and, as a result, the sustainability of select animal species among more than 230 AZA-member zoos and aquariums, including the OKC Zoo.
The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is an endangered species native to the forests bordering Bhutan, China, Nepal, Myanmar and Nepal. Even though red panda shares the name “panda” with giant pandas, they are not related. In fact, red pandas were scientifically documented 50 years before the giant panda in 1825. Red pandas are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and their population in the wild is decreasing due to loss of habitat from deforestation. It is estimated that fewer than 10,000 remain in the wild.
Follow the Zoo’s social channels for updates on our newest arrival.
The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry at 4 p.m. Purchase advance Zoo admission tickets at okczoo.org/tickets and avoid the entry lines. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Regular admission is $16 for adults and $13 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. Support your love and passion for wildlife and wild places with a ZOOfriends Membership Passport to the OKC Zoo. These 12-month memberships provide general admission year-round and exclusive offers while supporting the Zoo’s ongoing animal care and conservation efforts. Memberships can be purchased at okczoo.org/membership.