A popular Norfolk attraction is celebrating a top double.
Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens is welcoming its newest arrivals after two snow leopard cubs and two rare red panda cubs were born.
The popular zoo, near Great Yarmouth, has unveiled the cute new additions, which were born during lockdown.
As yet, they have not been named, but Scott Bird, zoological director at the popular attraction said staff were “extremely pleased and privileged” to host the new, rare recruits.
While the red panda may be familiar to regular visitors at Thrigby, the arrival of a new cub is a first in some 20 years.
Mr Bird said: “Two female red pandas were born in early July, after a gestation period of about 130 days.
“They were born at Thrigby to parents Bamber, who was born at Dublin Zoo in June 2011 and arrived to us in April 2012, and Dam Iniya, who was born at Colchester Zoo in June 2018 and arrived with us in April 2019.
“The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) states the red pandas are listed as ‘endangered’ so it is wonderful news to be able to say that we have bred red pandas again – the first for around 20 years at Thrigby.”
With snow leopards Nima and Mohan having successfully raised two male cubs called Jamir and Jamal in 2015 – and with the cubs subsequently moving on from Thrigby as part of the European Breeding Programme – Mr Bird added: “For the snow leopards, and parents Nima and Mohan, this is their third litter with previous cubs moving having already moved to other European collections on as part of the European Endangered Breeding Programme.
“They were born on July 8 and we have one male and one female.
“The gestation period is about 101 days, and so far the snow leopard cubs are unnamed.
“Numbers in the wild could be as low as 4,000 and still under many pressures to their numbers mainly man made or induced.”
Mr Bird added: “The snow leopards have now been visible for a few weeks now and the red pandas are only just starting to show themselves.
“Both are being met with excitement, with visitors saying how fantastic it is seeing these beautiful animals at close quarters. The team at Thrigby are extremely pleased and privileged to be hosting these births, especially as the red pandas were a total surprise and not expected at all.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here