Endangered red panda twins born at Hertfordshire Zoo

The endangered cubs were born on June 3, 2026, and mark the first red panda twins to be born at the zoo in 12 years.

They are the first offspring for parents Nila and Ash, who were paired last year as part of an international breeding effort.

Tyler Whitnall, managing director at Hertfordshire Zoo, said: "We are absolutely over the moon to welcome these twin cubs to Hertfordshire Zoo.

The cubs are the first red panda twins born at the zoo in 12 years. (Image: Hertfordshire Zoo)

"It has been four years since our last red panda cub, Tashi, was born here, so to see Nila and Ash successfully breed in their very first season together is an incredible achievement.

"Nila is proving to be a natural, attentive mother, and the cubs are hitting all their developmental milestones despite facing the immense challenge of record-breaking summer temperatures right after birth."

The successful birth came just weeks before the UK experienced one of the hottest periods in its recorded history.

Red pandas are native to the cool, temperate forests of the Eastern Himalayas, with the zoo's dedicated animal care team are keeping a special eye to ensure the habitat remained cool and shaded.

Red panda dad Ash. (Image: Hertfordshire Zoo)

For visitors hoping to catch a glimpse of the new arrivals, you may spot Nila carefully moving the cubs around the habitat.

Nila arrived at Hertfordshire Zoo in November 2025 from Národná zoologická záhrada Bojnice in Slovakia under the governance of the EAZA Ex-Situ Programme (EEP), which manages vital population safeguards for species facing extinction in the wild.

Nila is named in honour of Nila Gurung, a conservationist in Nepal who works with the zoo's partner, the Red Panda Network.

Ms Gurung's work focuses on planting forests to restore crucial wild habitats.

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The zoo said Nila is proving to be a "natural, attentive mother". (Image: Hertfordshire Zoo)

It is estimated that fewer than 10,000 individuals remain in the wild, due to rapid habitat loss, fragmentation, poaching, and the illegal pet trade.

The birth of these twins provides a crucial genetic boost to the safety-net population maintained across European institutions.

Tyler Whitnall said Nila is a "natural, attentive mother."

She has kept her cubs safely hidden in the nest boxes and thick bushes to protect them during their initial vulnerable weeks.