Santa Barbara Zoo officials announced Wednesday the arrival of a red panda.
Zoo officials say the male red panda came to Santa Barbara from Trevor Zoo at Millbrook School in New York.
Right now zoo officials say the red panda is living behind the scenes out of view from the public in a spacious habitat while his new permanent home is being renovated.
The zoo will have an official announcement later this year to formally introduce the public to the newest addition to the zoo family.
Zoo officials say red pandas are endangered due to habitat loss, with only 10,000 left in the wild. Red pandas are found in various regions of China, Nepal, and northern Burma and are known for their reddish-brown fur, bushy tails, and cute, bear-like faces. Despite their name and appearance, red pandas are not closely related to giant pandas; they are actually more closely related to raccoons.
The Santa Barbara Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. for members and 9:30 a.m. for general admission until 5 p.m.; general admission is $25 for adults, $15 for children 2-12, and free for children under 2. Parking is $11.
