Knoxville Zoo needs bamboo donations to feed red pandas

[Duppers]

The Knoxville Zoo, known as the "Red Panda Capital of the World,”
is looking for bamboo donations to help feed their pack of the endangered species.

The zoo posted on social media asking those with bamboo on their property they’d be willing to donate to call 865-637-5331 ext. 1365.

Zoo personnel would be available to come out and cut the bamboo at properties within 30 minutes of the zoo.

With over 100 births, more red pandas have been born at Zoo Knoxville than at any other zoo in the world.

According to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, bamboo makes up 95% of the red panda’s diet. While giant pandas eat nearly all above-ground portions of bamboo, red pandas feed mostly on the leafy tips.

Red pandas are considered an endangered species and have been listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List since 2015.

Zoo Knoxville occasionally seeks donations from the public to help feed animals. They’ve previously sought tree trimmings for their giraffes and elephants.


https://www.wate.com/news/knox-county-news/zoo-knoxville-needs-bamboo-donations-to-feed-red-pandas/

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Around here, bamboo is often a no-no. Towns have played...

with banning it and neighbors are often worse. Finally, the State stuck its nose in and banned it. Sort of.

The problem is that a lot of bamboo sets out runners where you need a plastic barrier at least 18 inches deep before you can even think 9f controlling it. Clumping bamboo sits where it's placed, but who wants study the differances?

[Duppers]

2. Same here...

And with a lot of municipalities, I think...but one neighbor grows it, yet somehow controls it.

I'm on the east coast now, not Knoxville.

[Tanuki]

3. I hope they get what they need! The Nashville Zoo has a 4-acre BambooTrail,

home to its red pandas and many other species that thrive in that type of forest setting.
https://www.nashvillezoo.org/our-blog/posts/nashville-zoos-red-panda-cubs-start-to-venture-outside-


"Nashville Zoo’s four-month-old red panda cubs are beginning to explore their habitat giving guests a chance to see the two young females along with their parents, Mei Mei and Moshu, along Bamboo Trail.
....
In September, the public was invited to vote on names for the cubs by donating to red panda conservation efforts. The winning names were Kiaria and Misa. This year the contest raised $295.
....
All donations during this contest went to the Red Panda Network (RPN), which protects wild red pandas and their habitat through the education and empowerment of local communities in Nepal. RPN created the world’s first community-based monitoring of a red panda population. Forty two local villagers in Nepal were hired to monitor local “community forests,” educate the community about red panda conservation, and work with them to achieve their forest preservation goals.

Known for their cinnamon colored fur and bushy ringed tail, the red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is native to the mountains of Central China, Nepal and northern Myanmar (Burma). They are considered vulnerable to extinction due to habitat destruction. In addition, slow rates of reproduction and high infant mortality rates make it very hard for this species to rebound from population declines."

[Irish_Dem]

4. The zoo is being foolish.

They are producing a large number of animals which requite a special type of food.
And the zoo does not have that food.

So now they are going hat in hand to the community.
This is not a reliable way to feed the animals in their charge.

If they are going to breed red pandas they need to be more responsible.

[Duppers]

5. Indeed.

[Farmer-Rick]

6. I've seen those very beautiful animals.

They remind me of very large cinnamon colored raccoons.

I wonder if they touched base with the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum? They have a huge bamboo trail. I got lost in it with my dog one summer. It was great fun.

But the gardens have tons of bamboo.

[Duppers]

7. Thanks, Rick!

I remember that now. It would seem those folks would've already made the connection.