Exmoor Zoo welcomes twin cubs

Exmoor Zoo has welcomed a special addition to its family this summer, thanks to a pair of red pandas, Shifumi and Pan, who were relocated from Bristol Zoo following its closure. Bristol Zoo took the decision to move out of its restricted location at Clifton and start anew with the Bristol Zoo Project at Black Horse Hill. 

Due to this transition, they were only able to take a very few animals with them, beginning again virtually from scratch.

It was agreed that the restrictive covenants on buildings and acreage were preventing the zoo from remaining a modern, prestigious, nationally recognised attraction.

At Exmoor Zoo, Shifumi and Pan have now given birth to twin female cubs, marking the first time the zoo has celebrated the birth of red pandas. 

Staff first noticed something was happening when the mother, Shifumi, remained in her nest box for nearly a week; typical behaviour for red pandas when they are nesting.

After 90 days of keeping the cubs hidden, Shifumi finally allowed them out of the nest box, much to the excitement of visitors.

The cubs, born on June 8, were first seen outside their tree den eight weeks later. 

Now, with the arrival of autumn, visitors might catch a glimpse of the playful young pandas during the half-term holidays. 

The red pandas, originally from the Himalayas, prefer cooler weather, making this season ideal for spotting them as they explore their enclosure.

Exmoor Zoo said: “Hopefully our visitors over the school half term and Halloween may be able to get a chance to see the babies – very “hit and miss” but they do regularly play around inside the exhibit and as they are “Himalayan” in origin the only weather they do not like is hot sunshine…….. Ideal for all us in the West Country this autumn”