Red Pandas are new additions to theme park’s zoo
AS SMALL as a fox but as cute as its black and white cousins, Red Pandas Tika and Pema are the proud new additions to Drayton Manor Park Zoo.
Known as the ‘original panda’ having been discovered 50 years before the giant panda, the playful pair are bound to gather attention with their bear-like bodies and envy-inducing colour. With thick auburn fur on top, black bellies and limbs and white markings on the side of their heads, the Red Pandas are not to be missed. Visitors will most likely spot 11-months-old Tika and Pema nestled in the trees feasting on bamboo.
Zoo manager and Drayton Manor Park’s conservation and animal welfare expert, Chris Mitchell said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Red Pandas here at the zoo. The population of the Red Panda is declining in the Eastern Himalayas, which makes up for 50% of their habitat, so conservation is increasingly important. They join a number of rare and endangered animals at Drayton Manor Zoo including Obie the baby Tapir, and Kit and Leo, twin Cotton-Top Tamarins.”
For what promises to be a fun-filled day out, visitors can spot animals big or small at Dray- ton Manor Park Zoo, a 15-acre haven set in the heart of Staffordshire. The zoo is actively involved in a number of conservation projects both locally and internationally and also provides educational workshops for children, plus research opportunities and work experience for students.
To book tickets, or for more information about the park, visit www.draytonmanor.co.uk or call 0844 472 1950.