Environmental Studies > Red Pandas and the Cotton-top Tamarins - Zoo Lab

The Red Panda’s natural habitats can be found in India and China. Contrary to the popular belief, these animals are not relatives of bears, but rather to raccoons. The most serious threat these animals face is the loss of habitat due to an increasing human population, thus the need for protection under the SSP. They’re also threatened by other animals in the wild, such as the snow leopards and the yellow-necked marten, a bird that takes cubs from their nests. The zoo created a miniature habitat for them that would be similar to their original environment. Here they’re protected from their natural predators and humans. They haven’t mentioned any specifics about their reintroduction to the wild.

The other animal that I’d like to mention is the cotton-head tamarin. Just like the red pandas, they also face habitat loss resulting from an increasing human population. The zoo recreated their natural habitat that can be found in Columbian rain forests. Their exhibit can be seen in the Rainforest section of the zoo, where they’re also safe from natural predators. There was no mentioning of how they would be reintroduced to wild.

Since I couldn’t find much information about the above mentioned two animals, I would just briefly mention that also in the Rainforest section, can be found a bird, called the Bali Mynah that is most likely extinct in the wild due to extreme habitat loss and illegal pet trade. Unless these two factors will be stopped, this bird faces extinction. The situation is the same with the other endangered bird, the chestnut-mandibled toucan that is also protected under the SPP.

 

 

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