Australasian Red Panda Population

0.0.2 Red Pandas have been born at Australia Zoo to 1.0 Nima and 0.1 Mohini. The last time the region had a successful red panda birth was in December 2019 and this represents the first time this species has bred in a Queensland zoo: Log into Facebook | Facebook

Chito and Tayla’s line is becoming well represented. Their daughters, Khela and Khusi, have each produced offspring at Auckland and Wellington Zoo respectively; and now their son, Nima, has sired offspring at Australia Zoo; while another son, Tenzing, has been joined by a female at Tasmania Zoo.

Chito descends from a female born at Taronga Zoo in 1991, so I’m sure they have several other distant relatives in the region considering how many red pandas Taronga has bred.
 
3.0 Red Panda will be transferred out of the Australasian region soon to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (Darjeeling) Zoo, India. A male from Taronga Zoo, a male from Halls Gap Zoo and a male from Auckland Zoo. The individual from Taronga is pretty likely to be their 2018 cub unless they select their older male. For Auckland and Halls Gap Zoo I would also lean towards the younger males but nothing has been confirmed so we will have to wait and see. The export of the males will occur by July 2021 and the three males will be joined by two females from European facilities. They five of them will join the current 23 (4.19) red pandas at this facility. Interesting to note that Sagar, Auckland Zoo's former breeding male from a few breeding seasons ago came from this facility in India so this exchange will see some of his second-generation offspring return to India. Nice bit of news for inter-regional collaboration.

Full article: Darjeeling Zoo to get 5 red pandas from abroad
Remarks on male Sagar: He was offspring from a captive-bred male sent on breeding loan from Koeln Zoo, BRD with a Darjeeling Zoo born female (from their only and original breeding pair Basant x Anita with both parents wildcaught in Singalila).

In return Auckland Zoo had exported male Durga (b. 18/12/2002, parentage ?x?) on breeding loan to Padmaja Naidu in 2010. He should have arrived October 2010 and died 2,5 years later on/around March 1st, 2013. He never bred at Darjeeling Zoo.

SOURCE:
CZA - India Zoo Association studbook for red panda, 2018.
 
In return Auckland Zoo had exported male Durga (b. 18/12/2002, parentage ?x?) on breeding loan to Padmaja Naidu in 2010. He should have arrived October 2010 and died 2,5 years later on/around March 1st, 2013. He never bred at Darjeeling Zoo.

Durga (formerly known as Khosuva) was born at Auckland Zoo 18/12/2002 in Shimla and Maya’s second litter (triplets). I was always taught in school that Maya’s second litter was 2.1 and Khosuva was female though.

Auckland kept Maya, Amber (female cub from the first litter) and Khosuva in a group of 0.3 without the need for contraception to my knowledge; though mistakes in sexing aren’t uncommon in this species (it also happened at Wellington) and that would explain the name change!

Khosuva was sent to Darjeeling Zoo 30/09/2010 and died in March 2013 without breeding as you mentioned.
 
Correction as I made a mistake: of course you are right that Durga is a female.
Durga was signed off as a female in the Indian studbook as well.

Sorry for the inconvenience caused.
 
Correction as I made a mistake: of course you are right that Durga is a female.
Durga was signed off as a female in the Indian studbook as well.

Sorry for the inconvenience caused.

No problem.

Given this species reaches sexual maturity at 18 months, sending the almost eight year old Khosuva wasn’t ideal given she was well past her reproductive prime. She was believed to be the youngest female red panda in New Zealand at the time (Wellington had misexed their young female as a male).

Given this was an exchange on behalf of our regional breeding programme, I don’t see why we didn’t send one of the several young Australian females.

At 10 years old, Sagar was also getting on in his years. They tried to breed him with Amber, Auckland Zoo’s 10 year old female; but when that didn’t work, they imported a young female and bred four litters prior to his death in 2015.
 
No problem.

Given this species reaches sexual maturity at 18 months, sending the almost eight year old Khosuva wasn’t ideal given she was well past her reproductive prime. She was believed to be the youngest female red panda in New Zealand at the time (Wellington had misexed their young female as a male).

Given this was an exchange on behalf of our regional breeding programme, I don’t see why we didn’t send one of the several young Australian females.

At 10 years old, Sagar was also getting on in his years. They tried to breed him with Amber, Auckland Zoo’s 10 year old female; but when that didn’t work, they imported a young female and bred four litters prior to his death in 2015.
I am afraid that with some international animal transfers where one party at least is not so well versed or used to conventional animal transfers there seems at times almost wilful neglect at play. This on the part of the zoo loaning out an animal on B/L where the individual(s) is (are) not apt / fit for breeding to a new zoo if and when the intention for the receiving zoo really is infusion of new bloodline(s).

I have seen this happen with several species and where India is concerned and this has exactly happened with some of the recent transfers of Asiatic lions where it appeared sickly / diseased or old individuals made their "debut" only to be called out with "issues". That .... instead of sending young-healthy specimens with the intention to expand / strengthen the gene pool in the receiving zoo region.
 
A few updates.

1.0 Chao has arrived at Altina Wildlife Park to commence breeding the species which is a first for the park. His exact origin and parentage remain a mystery.

1.0 Raj has recently been transferred to the National Zoo and Aquarium from Sydney Zoo. He was born at Symbio Wildlife Park in 2016. 0.1 Nasapati was also recently transferred to the National Zoo and Aquarium from Perth Zoo where she was born in 2019. This provides Canberra with a 1.1 pair as 1.0 Ari no longer received a mention in the email update.
 
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