WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) - The Sedgwick County Zoo has exchanged red panda’s with the Lee Richardson Zoo. Now Ravi is settling into his new home in Garden City, while CJ is being welcomed to the Sedgwick County family with open arms.
The Sedgwick County Zoo just got a new red panda resident. CJ is described as laid back, observant, and very cute.
He’s a nearly 4 year old red panda who traded places with Ravi, the previous red panda resident, back in March. It was just this week he was finally introduced to the public and his new home in the enclosure with his new mate Sunsari.
“I feel like he kinda looks like a teddy bear and I’ve heard a lot of people kinda been like oh he’s so cute and everything so I think he’s going out very well with our guests,” said Madison Murray, with Sedgwick County Zoo communications.
The Sedgwick County Zoo has had red pandas since 2009 but Ravi and CJ are the first red pandas to ever be swapped between the Sedgwick County Zoo and the Garden City Zoo.
The decision to swap the red pandas was guided by the species survival plan or SSP.
“The SSP made that recommendation based on a better genetic pairing and also so we could get more experienced pandas with less experienced pandas when it comes to breeding,” said Jody Sentel, zookeeper.
CJ has produced cubs at other zoos. In a perfect world CJ and the Sedgwick County Zoo's other red panda Sunsari will breed later this year creating babies for the zoo.
Visitors were thrilled to see CJ and Sunsari Thursday.
“I think it's exciting just cause they do move around a little more. They’re a little more active so for the kiddos just a little more to look at,” said Sam Turner, zoo attendee.
CJ’s new home is in the Asian Big Cat Trek area of the zoo. Red pandas are the most active during dawn and dusk and can frequently be found hanging out in the trees of their enclosure.
“All he likes to eat is his biscuits and bamboo,” said Sentel.
There is something else that makes CJ very unique- he’s missing a large chunk of tail. Most of his tail was amputated earlier in life after an injury. but that doesn’t prevent him from getting around and enjoying life in the zoo.