Sad day at the Edmonton Valley Zoo - A conservation legacy (Red Panda)

Hey Steemies!

Happy New Year!! How ya'll been! Well it's no secret I've been kinda quiet on steemit the last bit, doesn't mean I haven't been busy with the camera in the meantime. Some of my excursions I sit on for a while sometimes, not always sure why but the reasons tend to reveal themselves in time. To be honest, most of my activities I have more to say and show than reasonably possible in a post as long as they may get sometimes and I'm not always sure how to split and deliver the information in a cohesive way, I may get overwhelmed by the big picture rather than taking small bites at a time and procrastinate. Then I end up with all these ideas twirling around in my head that only half come to fruition...what a mess, haha! I don't generally make new year resolutions but maybe this year I can try to tame my thoughts and actually finish following thru with my ideas and photos. The real point of this post, this summer we visited the Edmonton Valley zoo and so many great photo opportunities and close-ish views of the semi-wildlife but I never really posted any of them yet. One of my favorite encounters was the urban farm where the endangered Red Panda's exhibition just lost it's matriarch, Pip, after 11 years in their care.

Shot 1/125 sec. f/5.6 300 mm, ISO 800

Pip was born at the Edmonton Valley zoo in 2008 as part as a worldwide conservation effort to keep the species from extinction with less than 10,000 mature pandas left. (part of the Species Survival Plan SSP). That is where she resided for all her life with her mate Kalden and one of her offspring, Paprika. Being very people friendly and inquisitive, in no time Pip became Edmonton's sweetheart soon after her birth and one of the zoo's most popular attraction. Pip wasn't only the coolest gal in town, she also had a purpose...to preserve a species. Part of a breeding program, she gave birth to a total of 5 minis including 2 sets of twins and has 7 grand minis. Daughter Paprika is still with us in Edmonton but the rest were sent to other in- captivity conservation programs members of the SSP across North-America to keep the genetic pool diversified to attempt at saving the rare species from complete extinction. Luckily the facility still have her and maybe the program will find her a mate to continue Pip's legacy. Every resident at Edmonton Valley zoo have their own personalities, even they have blogs! Here is some more details on our beloved cat-bear's life and inner world:

http://www.wildtimes.ca/2019/07/04/hello-my-name-is-pip/?fbclid=IwAR26GV5l6obgk6QE6xfqMRODh3OrmT3b47fL5CWdC65T1W_cA6mnEPTJaDg

1/320 sec. f/5.6 300 mm, ISO 400. I'm almost sure this is Pip, something about her favorite sleeping branch and that one panda spent most of it's time there, so making an assumption here.

In the event of the tragic loss, Edmonton Valley Zoo issued this statement to their facebook page to share the unfortunate news with their followers and patrons:

"We are broken-hearted to announce the death of Pip, the matriarch of our red panda family and conservation icon whose legacy lives on through generations of pandas across North America.Pip was born at the Edmonton Valley Zoo on May 26, 2008. Her mother couldn’t care for her so she was hand-raised by zookeepers, and thus developed strong bonds with people. Pip was gentle and calm, earning a reputation as the zoo’s sweetheart. She was friendly, always the first to the door to welcome a zookeeper into the red panda habitat.Pip was a valuable contributor to the international Red Panda Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSP is a coordinated breeding program with qualified zoos across North America to protect the genetic diversity of endangered species.Pip was a mom of five: Qiji, born in 2011; twins Kola and Willow born in 2015; and twins Paprika and Pepper, born in 2017. Paprika still lives here at the Edmonton Valley Zoo with her dad, and Pip’s mate Kalden. Pip was an attentive, caring, and protective mother, allowing her cubs to thrive. She also has seven grand-pandas at zoos across the continent. Pip passed away on January 8, 2020 at the age of 11. A post-mortem exam was performed and while final results are still pending, all evidence points to her passing away peacefully in her sleep." Source:
https://www.facebook.com/edmontonvalleyzoo/photos/a.1465769873494929/3384639388274625/?type=3

Shot 1/125 sec. f/5.6 300 mm, ISO 1400. Paprika foraging, how do I know? Her keeper came out and called her and made chase her around to make sure she was accounted for before closing time. Hehe, girl with attitude! Eventually gave in when bribed with treats.

Mainly being native of the Himalayas and southwestern China in limited numbers with the continued loss of habitat, the population keeps declining at an alarming rate. In the recent decade, many conservation zones were established to protect it's ecosystem. This nocturnal creature is rather difficult to observe in the wild as they tend to prefer solitude and climbing tall trees staying out of sight of prying eyes making it hard to estimate their true numbers. Most of their diet constitutes of bamboo, berries and foraging in the trees but also enjoys hunting small mammals, birds and eggs. They become adults at 2 to 3 years of age and typically have litters of one or two cubs that tend to stay with their mother until the next litter is born. Males and females generally only interact for mating unless in captivity in which case they will spend their lives with their mate. Genetically, Red Pandas are only a distant relative the Giant Panda and are much smaller in size more like a medium size dog and resemble a cross between a cat and a bear, hence the common nickname of bear-cat. Although it's mainly an Asian species, a few fossils of their ancestors have been unearthed in Britain even going as far as the Americas, how they got there is still left for speculation. Here is some additional information on the species and their characteristics:

https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/red-panda

Shot 1/125 sec. f/5 185 mm, ISO 1600.

Of course since I had the opportunity to spend some time observing these cute little critters, I have to share my experience with you! I don't generally support zoos because of animal welfare reasons but during my photography journey and exploring different environments I have learned to distinguish the difference between those just looking to make a buck and those who legitimately participate in various conservation programs in a sustainable way. Every time I have visited the Edmonton Zoo, it's always been a pleasant experience in other words I don't feel as bad about their captivity when I see most the animals happy and running around or rushing to greet their guests as curious about us as we are about them. In many cases they are rehabilitated or orphaned animals that would have additional survival challenges if they were to be released into the wild or have been born in captivity from a rehabilitated animal.

Shot 1/125 sec. f/5 195 mm, ISO 1250. Kalden's preferred way of climbing down from the post that lead to the caged tunnel.

When we made it to the urban farm section of the zoo where the Red Panda family resides, it was getting close to closing time so we didn't have a chance to talk with their keeper that generally is there to answer visitor's questions but we had a great time observing them. The family of 3 had a large parcel of land and many trees and bushes to hide away yet preferred to be in the company of humans allowing us to get good close ups with the right tele gear. For the most part , the enclosure is a chest-height fence made of clear plexi making it easy for an unobstructed view as the active climbers demonstrated their skills. A large tree trunk leads to a caged tunnel where the cat-bears can come get a closer look at the crowds. For the most part, they are a tight knit trio that spend most of their time napping all curled up like a cat on a branch or climbing together to the very top of the tree. I'm not sure who is who in the pictures, they sort of all look the same but they are a mix of all 3, Pip, Kalden and their beloved Paprika. The enclosure is currently undergoing improvements and they have been relocated to another section of the zoo temporarily.

Shot 1/250 sec. f/5.6 300 mm, ISO 400. In the caged tunnel that comes out above our heads for a thorough panda inspection, turns out we were panda-worthy!

We spent at least half an hour just watching them but being the most popular attraction, it's easier said than done and large crowds tend to gather making it hard to get a good view and the critters can sometimes get a little shy and distant. To best avoid the crowds and increase your chances of getting quality interactions, avoiding it at peak times like late afternoon and weekends, going at quieter times during the week and close to closing time, the crowds tend to die down and dissipate as everyone leaves for dinner and the animals become more relaxed and willing to get real close. I even remember a point where there was a loud noise from a door slamming shut and one of the pandas ran in my direction for safety, that was way cute. I suppose good to know they see humans as safety, another sign they get treated well by their caretakers. They are definitely a mix of adorable active little balls of fur full of personality to slugs just chillin like villains, I recommend paying them a visit if you have access to a Red Panda family near you before they disappear.

Shot 1/160 sec. f/5 200 mm, ISO 800. Exiting the caged tunnel back into the main panda habitat, just look at them claws!

Shot 1/125 sec. f/5 195 mm, ISO 1250.

Here is some more information on the Edmonton Valley Zoo and their programs:
https://www.edmonton.ca/attractions_events/edmonton-valley-zoo.aspx

All images taken with Nikon D7000 with Nikkor 70-300mm lens.

Cheers my friends!! X🐞X