We have a family group of red pandas at Bristol Zoo Project; male Neora, female Laya, and their female kit Asha, born in June 2025.
Neora is named after Neora Valley National Park and Laya is named after a village, both found in the Himalayas where red pandas live in the wild.
Asha was named via a public poll, and her name means 'hope' in Sanskrit and Nepali, which is very apt given she is a new addition to this endangered species!
Red pandas are arboreal, which means they live in trees. They have an ‘extra thumb’ on each hand to help them grip bamboo, one of their main food types.
Native to the eastern Himalayas and south-western China, red pandas are classified as endangered by the IUCN.
The wild population is thought to be as low as 2,500 individuals, which are threatened by habitat loss and poaching.
Neora and Laya live in the new red panda habitat at Bristol Zoo Project. The habitat is dominated by the large cedar and conifer trees, which they both love to climb!
Visit the adorable red panda pair at our conservation zoo.
