July 2011

Auckland Zoo is looking for kids to take up the challenge and become Red Panda Rangers these July school holidays from Saturday, 16 July to Sunday, 31 July.

In the wild, part of a Ranger’s job is to find red pandas, and make sure that the forest they live in is well looked after.

Prospective young rangers will be issued with a trail map to help them in their task of discovering how many red pandas are hiding around the Zoo. These unique animals are masters of disguise and hard to spot; young rangers need to record the number of red pandas they discover and find a series of secret letters to unscramble a secret codeword.

After discovering all the clues, kids will return to Red Panda HQ where they’ll be inducted as a Red Panda Ranger.

“This is a really great way for kids to find out about just how cool red pandas are and take part in a fun activity that highlights what’s happening in our wild places.

“Here at the Zoo we’re part of an international breeding programme that aims to support the wild Nepalese red panda population, and through our Conservation Fund, we’re assisting rangers to protect and support red pandas,” says Auckland Zoo conservation officer, Peter Fraser.

Children can get some top tips on how to be a Red Panda Ranger by coming along to one of the 10-minute Ranger briefings happening each day between 9.30am and 1.30pm. There will also be special red panda encounters and prizes to be won. Plus, every child who completes their activity sheet will be given a $5 book voucher from Paper Plus*.

Normal zoo admission prices apply. Visit www.aucklandzoo.co.nz or phone 09 360 3805 for more information.

Competition: Red pandas are heat-sensitive and need to save energy when they’re cold. Let us know your energy-saving tip while keeping warm this winter, and you and the family will go in the draw to win admission to Auckland Zoo, a Stardome family pass, a Voyager family pass to the New Zealand Maritime Museum and a night’s accommodation at The Quadrant Hotel Auckland where you can stay toasty*. Send your best tip with your contact details to zoonews@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz by 2pm on Thursday, 14 July.

RED PANDA FAST FACTS
• We have three Nepalese red pandas at Auckland Zoo – one male, Sagar and two females, Maya and Amber
• Auckland Zoo is part of an international breeding programme for red panda, and we are hoping that Sagar and Amber will breed later this year
• Auckland Zoo sent a female red panda, Khosuva, to Darjeeling Zoo last year to take part in the breed-for-release programme. We hope that Khosuva’s offspring will be released back into the wild
• The Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund financially supports Red Panda Network, which works to protect wild red panda habitat
• Red Panda Network saves wild red pandas and preserves their habitat through the empowerment of local communities by adaptive community-based research, education, and carbon mitigation.

ENDS

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