Ross Park Zoo names red panda as Animal of the Month for September

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (WBNG) -- The Ross Park Zoo has named the red panda as its Animal of the Month for September, a time when these cold-weather mammals become much more active. Saea Welge, the zoo's animal care manager, explained that as autumn temperatures drop, visitors will have a better chance to see the animals moving around and exploring their habitat. 'September is a great month to visit the zoo to see our red pandas. Red pandas are temperate and cold-weather animals, so as the weather cools off, there is more opportunity to see the red pandas moving around and interacting with their habitat,' Welge said. Despite having a diet comprised almost entirely of bamboo, red pandas are scientifically classified as carnivores, according to Ross Park Zoo. 'They are excellent climbers. They have claws that are semi-retractable, and they can turn their wrists around and climb down trees headfirst, which is really useful for an arboreal animal,' Welge said. The zoo houses five Chinese red pandas, which have darker tail rings and redder faces than the whiter-faced Himalayan subspecies. Asha, Ferguson and Mei-Li live in one enclosure, while Shenmi and Khairo occupy a second habitat nearby. Welge noted that the animals utilize their thick, fluffy tails for balance and as built-in blankets to stay warm during the winter. 'Sometimes if you come visit us in the winter, you might see some pandas sleeping outside and using their tails like blankets,' Welge said. Starting in late September through December, the zoo is also restarting its Wild Encounter program for an additional fee. The program allows individuals or groups to step inside the habitat building for an up-close meeting and learn about conservation efforts from the care staff. 'They'll get the opportunity to skewer-feed some apples as part of their diet,' Welge said. 'You'll get a personal experience with the keeping staff and get to learn more about red pandas, who they are as individuals, what the conservation efforts are for them and just get to see them moving and see them up close.' Visit Ross Park Zoo's website to learn more about red pandas.