LEHIGH VALLEY ZOO WELCOMES A PAIR OF RED PANDAS

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Lehigh Valley Zoo
June 29, 2024

LEHIGH VALLEY ZOO WELCOMES A PAIR OF RED PANDAS
Brothers Cosmo and Meeko will Debut in their New Habitat on June 7

(Schnecksville, Pa.) – Lehigh Valley Zoo is excited to announce the arrival of two red pandas, Cosmo and Meeko. The pair will debut at the public Grand Opening of Rothrock Red Panda Peak, the LV Zoo’s brand-new red panda habitat, on Friday, June 7. The zoo will open at 9 a.m. for zoo members only and to all other guests at the normal time of 10 a.m. Tickets can be purchased at lvzoo.org.

Cosmo and Meeko arrived from Alabama’s Birmingham Zoo as part of a recommendation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Red Panda Species Survival Plan (SSP). SSP programs are led by expert advisors who work cooperatively with AZA zoos and aquariums to manage animal populations to safeguard the survival of many of the planet’s threatened and endangered species. The nearly one-year-old red panda brothers will celebrate their first birthday on May 31. The pair is currently behind the scenes until the Grand Opening. The zoo’s animal care team has noted that Cosmo is very outgoing and curious while Meeko is a bit shyer and more reserved, but both are adjusting well.

More significantly, LV Zoo is proud to play a key role in a new five-year program designed for red panda conservation. The AZA, the zoo’s accrediting body, recently added red pandas to its Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program – which uses the collective expertise within AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums and leverages their massive audiences to save endangered species in their natural habitat. With the importance of local communities to red panda conservation, LV Zoo’s inclusion in this SAFE program can positively impact red pandas around the world.

Red pandas are an endangered species, with a population reported to be less than 10,000 in the wild. Providing a home for red pandas supports LV Zoo’s vision of conserving species while educating guests about the importance of wildlife conservation. As part of this project, LV Zoo will support Red Panda Network, a conservation organization located in Nepal that works directly with local communities, empowering the people who live alongside red pandas to secure sustainable livelihoods and live harmoniously with local wildlife.

Completion of the new habitat was made possible by the support of David, Patrina and Kian Rothrock. The community can still support LV Zoo’s red pandas by visiting lvzoo.org/red-panda. All individual donors who contribute at least $500 will receive recognition on exhibit signage. LV Zoo is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that relies on the support of our community to operate and expand.

LV Zoo is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at lvzoo.org.

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As a member-supported non-profit organization, Lehigh Valley Zoological Society was founded in 2004, but it has been treasured community landmark for centuries. Located in the Lehigh Valley’s Trexler Game Preserve, the mission of the Lehigh Valley Zoo is to connect its community with nature to empower people to protect wildlife. We have achieved our mission and educated more than five million people. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Lehigh Valley Zoo hosts year-round, family-friendly events and activities, educational programs, and camps. To learn more about Lehigh Valley Zoo, we invite you to visit our website, www.lvzoo.org, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

— SmartFun—