PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WBOY) — Marcy, a two-year-old red panda, recently moved into her new home at the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium.
According to the zoo, Marcy arrived from the Red River Zoo in North Dakota on Oct. 24 and has gradually been getting used to her new home and roommate, Xia, Pittsburgh’s other red panda who has lived there since 2012.
Lead Keeper Ray Bamrick said that the zoo is doing everything it can to make sure that Marcy has plenty of time to get used to her new home.
“The initial goal when receiving a new red panda is to acclimate the animal to the many new experiences her new home provides, from meeting and understanding her new keepers and the daily activity of the space to learning every square inch of her home; location of food, water, and bathrooms; the movement of our guests; and the new sights, sounds, smells,” said Bamrick in the zoo’s press release.
Because red pandas are endangered, the zoo makes sure that the habitat is as similar to their native habitat in Asia as possible. And because the number of red pandas in the wild is declining, having them in zoos allows scientists to learn about them and prevent their extinction.
Marcy is frequently out where guests can see her in the Forest Passage red panda habitat near the front of the park, according to the release. Tickets for the zoo are available online here.
