On Saturday as a late birthday treat, David and I drove the two hours down to Dudley Zoo near Birmingham to see their third baby Red Panda. Jasper. It was third time lucky for us as the previous two years we saw little of the other Panda cubs, (much to my dismay), though this trip was filled with Red Panda madness for hours!
We arrived at Dudley Zoo at 10am and all through the journey, it had rained! I despaired as I thought it was a wasted journey, but once we had entered the zoo gates, the clouds cleared and a lovely bright, crisp autumn day prevailed. The male Red, Yang was seen running here, there and everywhere for hours. He must have really liked the cold air, though David and I were shivering come four hours at their enclosure.
Jasper and mum Yasmin played for about 40 minutes in their next box, before to my wide eyes of excitement and wonder, baby Jasper bounded out into the enclosure and I took lots of video of them, David snapped about 300 pictures!
It was a good day! I was thoroughly happy to have seen a baby Red Panda, it had been far too long for me without some cuteness in my life!
Christine Lucas 