Red Panda Habitat
The Toronto Zoo’s red pandas are branching out! A foundational piece of the Zoo’s campus plan is the redevelopment and expansion of the current red panda habitat. The new building will further demonstrate our commitment to animal well-being and welfare.
The new facility will showcase two indoor day rooms, connected by an overhead tunnel allowing the red pandas to freely move between indoor and outdoor facilities. With increased public viewing and temperate indoor facilities, the expanded habitat will allow for year-round visitor experiences and greater welfare and enrichment for the animals who call your Toronto Zoo home.
The new back of house will increase the ability to shift animals among spaces, with increased areas for nutrition preparation and food storage. A window will allow guests to view these behind-the-scenes preparations!
Red Panda Habitat
The Toronto Zoo’s red pandas are branching out! A foundational piece of the Zoo’s campus plan is the redevelopment and expansion of the current red panda habitat. The new building will further demonstrate our commitment to animal well-being and welfare.
The new facility will showcase two indoor day rooms, connected by an overhead tunnel allowing the red pandas to freely move between indoor and outdoor facilities. With increased public viewing and temperate indoor facilities, the expanded habitat will allow for year-round visitor experiences and greater welfare and enrichment for the animals who call your Toronto Zoo home.
The new back of house will increase the ability to shift animals among spaces, with increased areas for nutrition preparation and food storage. A window will allow guests to view these behind-the-scenes preparations!
Background
Listed as Endangered since 2015 by The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), red pandas continue to see rapidly declining populations of mature animals. Populations have decreased more than 50% over the last three generations (18 years) and will continue to decline at accelerated rates over the next three generations. With a global population of fewer than 10,000 individuals, the red panda is a species in peril.
Red pandas encounter many environmental and human challenges. Bamboo, their main diet, is facing environmental degradation and deforestation. They are also facing increasing encounters with people, particularly herders, who encroach on their habitat. Highly susceptible to canine distemper, which is lethal to them, contact between herding domestic dogs and red pandas has increased with catastrophic consequences.
Hunting and poaching of red pandas have also increased, with the introduction of red pandas into the illegal pet trade. They are also hunted and poached in Nepal and Myanmar to satisfy Chinese demand for the species for wild meat, medicine and skins — with their highly attractive ringed tails proving to be a popular fashion accessory for fur hats.
The human population in the Eastern Himalayas is growing at a rate of 2.1%. This growth in population into their habitats is exacerbating the above threats. Studies show that 57% of red panda deaths are directly related to human causes.
Why?
Your Toronto Zoo plays a critical role in global wildlife conservation, particularly for endangered species like the red panda. As an AZA-accredited zoo, your Toronto Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a program designed to protect animals at risk of extinction. Through this program, the Zoo helps manage breeding, genetics, and long-term sustainability for species in danger.
The Red Panda Habitat Enhancement project will provide state-of-the-art, temperature-controlled environments, better climbing structures, and expanded maternity dens, all designed to improve the well-being of red pandas. It will also enhance public engagement with educational exhibits and better viewing areas.
This project will strengthen the Zoo’s ability to contribute to red panda conservation, ensuring that these animals continue to thrive both in captivity and the wild. Supporting this initiative helps secure a sustainable future for endangered species.
Quick Facts
With your support, Toronto Zoo’s Red Panda Habitat will be a world-class centre of excellence in animal health, welfare and conservation.
- Temperature-controlled day rooms: state-of-the-art, climate-controlled spaces designed to enhance the well-being of red pandas year-round.
- Enhanced climbing structures: upgraded climbing structures and enrichment elements to encourage natural behaviours and physical activity.
- Unobstructed public year-round viewing: clear, expansive views from public areas, offering a more engaging and immersive visitor experience while observing red pandas.
- On-site bamboo storage and food prep station: dedicated bamboo storage to ensure a steady, sustainable food source for red pandas with a purpose-built area for preparing nutritious meals for the red pandas.
- Enhanced maternity dens: comfortable, safe, and private maternity dens designed to support the birth and nurturing of red panda cubs as part of ongoing involvement in the Species Survival Plan Program to help ensure the conservation and sustainability of red panda populations.
Our Vision
Contact Us
Where hope meets action:
As we confront the dual challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, we are fuelled by a profound sense of optimism, confident in the Zoo’s expertise and ability to drive meaningful, lasting change.
Contact us to learn more:
Alison Kenn, Campaign Manager
416-392-5983
akenn@torontozoo.ca