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Infamous ‘Little Red’ the red panda cub has a NAME!
The Hertfordshire Zoo which brought us the red panda cub that stole the hearts of the world has been given a name! With the help of the general public who have been voting for their favourite name whilst raising vital funds for the conservation of the Red Panda species. The infamous ‘Little Red’ at Paradise Wildlife Park now has a true name with a special meaning behind it.
The Endangered Red Panda Cub, will be named and known as Tashi. This name was picked by the public by a landslide number of votes and with the story behind the cub, there is no hesitation as to why. Tashi means good luck and fortune in Nepalese. With the passing of Nam Pang the cub's father a month before its birth, it seems only fitting for the cub to be named with fortune and good luck.
Red Pandas are classed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Human exploitation of forest resources and fragmentation has caused a 50% decline of the species in the last 20 years, leaving approximately 2,500 remaining in the wild. Mum Tilly and Tashi together bring hope for the species and continue to act as ambassadors for their wild counterparts, helping to educate the public and raising awareness for the species.
Throughout the story of Tilly and Tashi, from Tashi’s first vet check to venturing outside and now their true name being chosen, the awareness of red panda’s and their need for conservation has been told across the world and truly has become a story of how important good zoos are in the protection of species and how the general public can play a vital role in their protection. A spokesperson for the park stated: ‘this story has been bitter sweet, but there has been no better legacy to Nam Pang and the species of red panda than Tashi being seen by thousands of people across the world. We continue to help protect and conserve the natural world and we thank our supporters for their continuous aid in this.’
Paradise Wildlife Park will continue to share exciting updates through their socials and Tashi is now out and about climbing and being spotted daily by visitors.