Baby red panda makes debut at Detroit Zoo

Tofu, a newborn red panda, has made her debut at the Detroit Zoo.

The cub was born June 22 to mother Ta-Shi, age 10, and dad Shifu, 6.

Her mother brought her out for public inspection Saturday morning in their wooded habitat at the zoo in Royal Oak.

“Ta-Shi took her time bringing her adorable baby girl out into public view, but it was worth the wait,” said Scott Carter, Detroit Zoological Society chief life sciences officer, in a news release. “We’re happy to welcome Tofu to the Detroit Zoo and to contribute to the captive population of this threatened species.” 

Found in the mountainous regions of Nepal, Myanmar and central China, red pandas are classified as “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species because of deforestation.

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They are known as shy and solitary animals, except when mating. Red pandas are about the size of a house cat, with rust-colored fur and an 18-inch white-ringed tail. Red pandas are agile climbers, spending most of their time hanging from tree branches or lounging on limbs. 

The Detroit Zoological Society conducts field work in Nepal to study red pandas in the wild and promote conservation. Part of this work requires the use of trail cameras triggered by motion and heat to take pictures and remotely monitor populations of red pandas and other species.

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The Detroit Zoo is one of Michigan’s largest paid family attractions, hosting more than 1.3 million visitors annually. Its 125 acres of naturalistic habitats are home to 2,500 animals representing 270 species