Boy Or Girl? Binghamton Zoo Holds Gender Reveal Party For Red Panda Cubs
It's a boy and a girl for the Binghamton Zoo. The zoo held a gender reveal party for the two red panda cubs on Thursday. Staff and community members came out to celebrate and get a head start on brainstorming names for the two cubs who were born back in June.
Posted — Updated"Thankfully I don't have to keep calling them Panda A and Panda B," says zoo director Jackie Peeler.
The zoo will be holding a naming contest for its two latest additions. Community members can submit names through August 2nd over at the zoo's website.
These cubs were a happy surprise for the Binghamton Zoo. Peeler says they didn't think the female red panda was ready to carry cubs yet. The zoo's two adult pandas were flagged as a breeding pair to help repopulate the species. Red Panda pregnancies don't show until very late, so the zoo staff didn't know they were expecting until two weeks before the babies made an appearance.
"They were born overnight," says Peeler, "Typically these guys always give birth overnight, so you think you're ready for it and then you walk in the next day and you have babies."
The baby girl was born with some medical conditions affecting her brain and skull, but keepers say she is eating well and they are monitoring her closely. Peeler says the baby boy is thriving and could be on exhibit with his parents as soon as next week. The cubs will likely be sent to another zoo to continue increasing the species population.
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