I agree it looks like smiling but when you do stop for a minute and remember they arent people she does look hot. She would hate it in there during the summer even more than the winter.
I know she's not a person. I mentioned in the Toronto Zoo thread that I don't like this exhibit for her. I was just complementing Mr Wrinkly on this great photo.
Although even though this exhibit isn't suited for red pandas, I'm sure that the keepers are doing their best to make her feel comfortable. Also, if the exhibit was really bad for her, they would have moved her out. I know that her health is more important than having something in the exhibit.
Anyways soon she'll be back in her old exhibit and we'll hopefully have new clouded leopards in here.
Also how does she look hot? Do red pandas open their mouths when they are hot?
Oh I know you know shes not a person. Im the one with the anthropomorphic issues as Mr. Wrinkly keeps pointing out to me. Lol.
You are right if she was really suffering they would have moved her home fast. They could have just stuck a bird or two in there or covered it up.
To me it looks like she's in mid pant but I might just be imposing dog characteristics on red pandas now. I dont know if they pant. They need some kind of self cooling mechanism and with all that heavy fur panting seems logical.
She wasn't smiling or panting, although the pic looks like either. She was walking around stiffly (like my cat when angry) and opening her mouth every few seconds to make a noise which we could hear very faintly - too faint thru the glass to say what it was like.
I just looked on the Red Panda Network to find what sounds they do make and found this:
"Red pandas often communicate using body language (such as head bobbing and tail arching) and a variety of noises (such as a threatening “huff-quack” and a warning whistle)."
Also found that this year International Red Panda Day is Sept. 20. I hope the zoo has an event again - it was well done last year.
Maybe we should put a request in for the day and suggest that they record some Red Panda sounds for the attendees. Maybe if they get the sounds right they can play them for the pandas and we will see babies 4 or 5 months later!
That sounds like a cool idea for the red panda day. There are tons of animals at the zoo you never really hear and it would be interesting if you could hear recordings of them every so often. I was very lucky last spring and heard the Southern Ground Horbills calling to each other. It was so cool to actually feel the vibrations of their calls go through me. That might have been the highlight of my visit... no wait watching the orangs was but it was a close second.
