Red Panda enclosure - Panda is visible in top left

October 2011

It looks so lush but are there many substantial trees that the red pandas can climb properly?

It's very lush, and there are a few trees that are climbable. You can't just walk up to the exhibit and see the pandas - you have to look for them.

Thanks for the answer. From the photo it looks like a lot of bushes but if there are trees as well then I really like it. It looks really natural.

The red panda exhibits are probably the best exhibits at Wellington, there are three similar enclosures with viewing from raised platforms. The largest trees in each would exceed 8 m tall, and would give very nice views for the pandas. Within this 'Himalayan' complex is also a nice aviary for Himalayan Monals, Derbyan Parakeets and Emerald Doves (photo here: http://www.zoochat.com/15/aviary-derbyan-pigeons-monals-241724/), as well as various Nepalese and Buddhist cultural features.

In the future, this area could be extended to also hold Snow Leopards and potentially provide views of Himalayan Thar, which are planned to move into the current Sun Bear exhibit as part of the NZ precinct (representing introduced species obviously).