National Zoo Adds 2 Adorable Red Pandas

WASHINGTON, DC -- The National Zoo's Asia Trail has just gotten two adorable new residents: red pandas Nutmeg and her son, Jackie.

Jackie, who is 8.5 months old, is slightly smaller than Nutmeg, who is 4 years old. They both made their debuts on the Asia Trail last week after arriving in December, and they've already made an impression.

"Personality-wise, Jackie is playful and inquisitive; he will walk right up to keepers to check out what is going on," said animal keeper Mariel Lally in a Q&A posted to the Smithsonian's website. "Nutmeg, on the other hand, is a bit more subdued and prefers to observe her surroundings from a distance. While she is friendly, all interactions with keepers take place on her terms."

The red panda pair has been busy doing a whole lot of playing since arriving in D.C.

"They spent the majority of their time climbing trees, following one another around the yard, and smelling where our 3-year-old female red panda, Asa, has been scent marking," Lally said. "Sometimes Nutmeg and Jackie will go their separate ways, but more often than not Nutmeg is leading the way. Sometimes, Jackie is so interested in an object in the yard that he will not notice mom is many paces ahead. Once he does, though, he will run after her and give her a nice big hug."

Red pandas eat mostly bamboo, like their giant cousins. They are fed six stalks of bamboo per day on average, as well as some special biscuits. They may receive fruit like grapes and apples as a reward during training.

Interestingly enough, red pandas can be picky eaters. Jackie enjoys eating bananas, but Nutmeg doesn't, Lally says.

Jackie may end up departing for another zoo to participate in a breeding program. Before that, zoo keepers will introduce Jackie and Nutmeg to Asa, who is in a separate enclosure.

Image via National Zoo