Red Panda

Here is Melina the new Red Panda. She is a little bigger than Ralphie I think, and a little lighter in colour.

Cassie went to Safari Niagara last Friday.

She looks very dark. Now I'll probably have trouble telling them apart. Cassie is so much lighter than Ralphie it was easy. I hope Cassie likes her new home and new companion Phoenix.

It is Malina, not Melina, I learned later.

You can tell them apart even if they are not together. She is not as light as Cassie but still noticeably lighter than Ralphie. Don't have a pic that shows much of her body - yet.

After all this waiting for her the SSP has said they are not to breed because Ralpie is "too old". Keepers are questioning that and hopefully will get it changed and we will finally see cubs again. Ralphie is clearly interested, pacing endlessly along the fence on his side when she was out on her side.

Ralphie is not too old. He is older and the odds are possibly lower but male red pandas have breed until the age of 12. It might be a longer shot but there is a shot. And until this year Malina had been a genetic match for Ralphie so an "accident" wouldn't be horrible.