Oregon Zoo welcomes rare red panda Enoki
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Enoki, a red panda born June 13, 2023, has arrived at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, Ore., and is settling into her new habitat. The furry nearly 3-year-old's move was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan to help ensure the long-term future of red panda populations.
Red pandas, the only members of the Ailuridae family, are considered an endangered species. Their populations have declined by approximately 50% over the past 25 years, with estimates indicating as few as 2,500 red pandas remain in the wild. The Species Survival Plan is a cooperative program among accredited zoos designed to create genetically diverse, self-sustaining populations.
Enoki spent time at the Memphis Zoo, where she was born and the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle before her recent arrival in Portland. Kelly Gomez, who oversees the red panda area at the Oregon Zoo, said Enoki was initially timid but is becoming more comfortable.
“We're so excited to have Enoki here,” Gomez said. “She was timid at first, but she's starting to get more comfortable. She's exploring and snacking and napping, which is everything you want to see in a red panda.” Keepers note that Enoki may not always be visible due to her natural behaviors.
“Red pandas are climbers and Enoki is no exception,” Gomez said. “If you don't spot her right away, look up — she might be lounging high up in the habitat.” Gomez added that Enoki also spends a significant portion of her day napping, sometimes snuggled inside her den box.
These sharp-toothed, ring-tailed omnivores are found in the montane forests of the Himalayas and major mountain ranges of southwestern China. Their striking red, white and black fur provides camouflage among reddish moss and white lichens in shadowed tree nooks. Enoki belongs to the refulgens subspecies, characterized by darker faces and more prominent rings on their tails.
In addition to habitat loss and fragmentation, red pandas face threats from poaching and the illegal wildlife trade. The Oregon Zoo, as part of Metro, is committed to conservation efforts. Over the past 30 years, the zoo has worked to prevent extinctions, expand populations, advance conservation science and form communities to protect wildlife globally.
Support from the Oregon Zoo Foundation helps enhance the zoo's efforts in species recovery, conservation education and animal well-being. Members, donors and partners contribute to the zoo's work across the region and around the world.
To plan a trip to the Oregon Zoo, visitors can go to oregonzoo.org/visit. Individuals interested in contributing to the zoo's efforts can visit oregonzoo.org/give.
