Red panda Esha settles into new home at Jersey Zoo

Jersey: A five-year-old red panda has arrived at her new home at Jersey Zoo.

Esha has moved to the zoo from Peak Wildlife Park in Staffordshire. Zoo staff say she has settled in well and is growing in confidence with both her new keepers and in her new enclosure.

Mary-Anne Jones from Jersey Zoo said Esha is adapting quickly to her surroundings.Red pandas are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates there are fewer than 10,000 red pandas left in the wild.

The zoo said the species faces several threats, including habitat loss, human interference, and poaching. Red pandas are native to the eastern Himalayas and their diet mainly consists of bamboo. With six digits on each paw, they are incredibly adept climbers and can even climb down trees headfirst.

Jersey Zoo said Esha’s arrival will help raise awareness about conservation efforts for the endangered species.