SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Dec. 2, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — Hogle Zoo has reported the death of Priya, its red panda.
“Her loss comes after recently placing her under veterinary advisement and her condition becoming critical over a few days,” says a statement from the zoo. “After an animal care and veterinary team evaluation, Hogle Zoo transferred her to the ICU unit at Advanced Veterinary Care (AVC).
“In close partnership, teams from Utah’s Hogle Zoo and AVC worked 24 hours a day to provide her with unprecedented levels of critical care for close to three days. Priya passed away at 5 years old, surrounded by her dedicated care team. We can’t thank our teams, the red panda field experts, and the AVC team enough for their support and partnership in Priya’s around-the-clock care.”
A necropsy has been performed to investigate Priya’s cause of death.
“Our Hogle Zoo team works passionately to build trusting relationships with the animals under our care,” the zoo statement says. “Priya was a confident, bossy red panda who loved to train and interact with her keepers. She was a great mom to Hogle Zoo’s first red panda cub, Dorji.”
Red panda cubs grow up fast, the statement says, adding that Priya’s baby, Dorji, 5 months, is doing well.
“He is weaned entirely and is often seen munching biscuits and bamboo,” the Hogle Zoo statement says.
“Her zoo family will dearly miss Priya. Please keep Priya’s caretakers in your thoughts during this tremendous loss. We invite you to share your love and gratitude to the devoted animal care and animal health teams.”
Priya arrived in the summer of 2022 from Colorado’s Pueblo Zoo as part of a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Red Panda Species Survival Plan. Priya was paired with Mow Mow, then 8, father to Dorji. Red pandas are endangered, and have experienced a 40% decline in population over the past two decades.
