Rare red panda cub birth at Wellington Zoo

Last updated 13:30 30/01/2008

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HOW CUTE: The red panda born at Wellington Zoo. The cub will not go on show at the zoo for another month to allow it to grow and bond with its mother.

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Wellington Zoo's latest arrival needs a name - any ideas?

The endangered red panda cub was born to proud parents Isha and Amy just after Christmas.

The pandas are only fertile one day a year, so it's a rare and exciting birth, said keeper Paul Horton.

"Red panda cubs are fairly fragile and one of Amy's cubs was small and did not survive. The other is still going strong though, and it's holed up with its mother in a nest box in the panda enclosure."

Red pandas are a mysterious and rare breed originating from mountainous parts of Asia. Only 2500 exist around the world.

The cub won't be on display for at least another month to let the mother and cub grow strong.

"We are doing everything we can to ensure the cub's survival but we are remaining hands off," Horton said.

"We are asking that our visitors to the Zoo be quiet around the red panda enclosure so we can give our first time mum and her baby some peace."

Naming the cub is proving tricky because keepers won't be able to tell if it's a boy or a girl for at least a fortnight.

What do you think the cub should be called? Email your suggestions to editorial@stuff.co.nz

YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR CUB'S NAME

Maybe they could name it Ishamy (Isha and Amy). Works for a boy or a girl!
- Mari-Joan McGovern

Survival would be a good name boy or girl as this is what they are battling at the moment.
- Anthony Wolland

If the panda is a boy, they could name it 'crimson' another word for red and plays on the fact that it is a son. If its a girl - 'rosy' rosy red or 'cherry' or because they like berries - 'berry!' I imagine the world media would be very interested to hear about this rare panda, less than 2,500 in the World & declining due to change in habitat. By having a name that is associated with 'red' it would draw attention to their plight & people would think more about this endangered species than just the Giant panda. Maybe even Beijing seeing as the species originates from China. It was an Olympian effort to be born and survive, a nice tribute to the Chinese in the year of the Olympics and a recognitian of Kiwis loves of sport and competition. I will follow this story with interest & I hope it goes on to be a very healthy animal.
- James

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How about Brightly or brightlee
- Leigh

I think Kunde would be a good name, cementing the Nepalese link with Kunde hospital built by Sir Edmund Hilary in Nepal in 1966
- Fiona

I think the cubs name should be Kiki
- Dewey

My choice for the red panda is AZUL (for a boy) and TIKA (for a girl)
It is very cute!!!
- Emma P

We suggest that if it is a boy he be called Sharn, and if it is a girl, that she be called Sharnika or Sharna.
- The Wilson Clan

Why not 'Dawntreader' - after the ship that plied the seas in the kingdom of Narnia..
- Margaret

I think it should be called Cubby.
- Alice age 7

I think the panda should be called Flame because it is a RED panda!
- Daisy Abraham (age 7)

For a girl: Bonny, Ruby, Lingling. For a boy: Blaze, Randa, Ped
- Charlotte Crampton

How about Sir Redmund - or just Ed or Hilary
- Rosie Marchant

I suggest "Tahi" meaning one as it is the only surviving cub, and only one chance per year of conception. It is its mother's firstborn and presumably it's also the first for Wellington Zoo.
- Lynda

I think the Red Panda cub should be called Tom because i think its a cool name!
- Tom Kennedy

I think a good name would be Razz.
- Connor

I think it should be Naruto for a boy, and Sakura for a girl. Red pandas are just too cute for words!
- Hayley O'Connor

Aadi if it's a boy. It means first or beginning. Amira if it's a girl. It means princess.
- Stacey

I suggest they call the little Red Panda - Ed or Eddy depending on its sex. Its such a little cutie. The name would come from Sir Edmund Hillary and his long time affiliation with Nepal - Red Pandas come from Nepal as well as other Asian countries.
- Kylie

Wee bub gots ta be called Shenaynay. F'realz, it's choice.
- Fred LeBlanc

Tahi Tahi is Maori for one...ONE DAY A YEAR ONE CUB
- Alea Day

My few ideas stem from the Dzongkha language as the Red Pandas are from the Himalaya's in Bhutan. So, I like Ema, which means Chilli (for its colour), Gangri, which means Mountain, or Tashi Delek, which means Good Luck.
-Jessica

If it's a girl she should be called Devi (Goddess) and if it's a boy he should be called Ahsen (perfection, excellence).
- Meggie

Cubbie
- Christian Palmer

I think (if it's a girl) it should be called Jenzy after my ex-gf who loves the lil' critters to death & has done many of the encounters with them at the Zoo. She almost cries everytime she sees one. It's really sweet.
- Graphic Comics

He or she can only be ginga
- Michael Golding

Call it Bob or Red
- David Costello

I think it should be called Aisha if it is a girl.
- Anna

If it is a girl: Sulphur, Sapphire, Mira, Paige. For a boy: Popeye, red, fire, crimson, glaze
- Leah Hockly

I think that it should be called teddy! It looks so cute! Or maybe Garry or Derek Young even!
- Olivia Lole

I think it should be called Gary as this name is more mintier than Red Wetty.
- Derek Young

The red panda's name should be Red Wetty because it's a mint name. It's my friend's name. It's tops
- Jennifer Butt

How about Jaffa? It doesn't matter what the sex is and it's such a 'kiwi' name
- Renee

I think Endera would be a great name as its endangered and is a dear wee thing. What a great thing to happen to the zoo.
- Maryanne Greening

The staff in our office suggest the name 'Earl'. Before you dismiss this, we have a background story ...An ex-colleague of ours has red /ginger hair. The same colleague advised us that some time ago the zoo was running a promotion where you could get into the zoo for free to visit the Red Panda's if you had red hair. 'Earl' took up this offer, and duly visited the zoo. After telling our office about this, he was duly nicknamed 'Panda' after the Red Panda at Wellington zoo. It's not a great story ... but we think that 'Earl' is a perfect name for the baby Red Panda.
- Bernie

I think the cub should be called Terry after Terry Serepisos to honour his contributions to Wellington namely the signing of the Wellington Phoenix FC into the A-League. Terry is also a versatile name for both male and female.
- Cain

Ruby for a female and plain Red for a male
- Sharon Rennie

Peppa or Chilli....can be used for either sex!
- Tooki

If it's a boy then Silvester or silvy for short. Isabella if it's a girl, or Bella for short.
- Adam Fowler

MISHA (a combination of the parents' names)
- Debbi Todd

I think the panda cub should be called Zhin Zhin. That way, the name would suit either a boy or a girl.
- Catherine Travers

What a cute little thing - if it's a girl Poppy or Trixie or a boy Oscar.
- Hilary Jamieson

Winston if it's a boy. Betty if it's a girl
- Mel Bailey

I suggest the name Ezey as its progress into this world has been anything but. Also the names Asha, Amy and Ezey have a nice flow to it. Hope its a nice day at the zoo!
- Elliot Lord

Hilary if it's a girl and Ed if it's a boy. Apt I think. They are from the mountains in Tibet after all, aren't they?
- B Dyson

How about Reba
- Vicky Tanner

He looks like a Zebedee to me.
- Liz Bulger

Sir Ed if it's a boy. Hillary if it's a girl
- Drew

Delilah for a girl, Derek for a boy
- Stephanie Speirs

Coco if it's a girl, Vinnie if it's a boy.

- Emma