The Wrocław Zoo has welcomed a new resident, a male red panda named Bernie. Born nearly a year ago in Fota Wildlife Park near Cork, Ireland, Bernie recently arrived in Wrocław via air transport. Weighing over five kilograms, Bernie is noted by zoo staff to be large for his age. He now shares an enclosure with a five-year-old female red panda named Lian.
Bernie and Lian
Red pandas, also known as lesser pandas or red bear-cats, inhabit the mountainous regions of southern China, northeastern India, Myanmar, and Nepal. The species is endangered, primarily due to deforestation. Bernie’s new companion, Lian, offers hope for the continuation of the species through potential future breeding efforts.
Last year, the Wrocław Zoo experienced the loss of two red pandas. A young female, Livi, who was just over a year old and had arrived from Germany in mid-2023, and an older male named Rufus, who lived to nearly nine years old, both passed away from natural causes. These losses underscore the challenges faced in conserving this vulnerable species.