Red Pandas at the KNoxville Zoo

When I was married, we had a homestead where we raised all our own meat, milk, and produce. Honestly, the only things we ever really shopped for were toilet paper and a few odds and ends we couldn’t make ourselves. I loved it—the feeding, the watering, even the medical care when it was needed. The goats, especially, were total characters and so mischievous. I just really enjoyed spending time with them, caring for them. In the end, I think they gave me far more than I ever gave them.

Later, when I was living in New York and doing a bit better financially, I started donating to help animals. I had memberships with the New York Zoological Society and the World Wildlife Fund, and I’d make a point to visit the zoo and aquarium a few times each year.

Over the past 62 years, I’ve watched these organizations evolve. What used to be old-school, Victorian-style animal exhibits have become so much more thoughtful and humane. Cheetahs now have space to run. Seals, otters, and penguins have more room to swim. Gorillas and monkeys have enriching environments with things to climb on and play with. The quality of life for these animals has improved dramatically.

Zoos today have a whole new level of accountability. One of my longtime favorites is the Bronx Zoo, and I recently had the chance to visit the Knoxville Zoo while traveling. Both are members of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction, which speaks to their commitment to conservation and animal welfare.  From what I’ve read, the Knoxville Zoo is working with SAFE to help protect several species, including:

• North American Turtle
• Radiated Tortoise
• Monarch Butterfly
• American Red Wolf
• Cuban Crocodile
• African Lion
• North American Songbird (kind of surprising they don’t list a specific species!)
• Gorilla
• African Painted Dog
• Giraffe
• Chimpanzee
• Red Panda

And that last one—the Red Panda—is what today’s photos are all about.

I’ve seen red pandas at a few different zoos, and every time, I’m completely smitten. Their raccoon-like faces, that gorgeous reddish fur, and those soulful eyes—there’s just something about them that tugs at my heart. Sadly, they’re endangered, meaning they’re at serious risk of disappearing from the wild. Only “critically endangered” is a step worse.

Red pandas are the only living members of their family, Ailuridae, and they’re native to parts of Asia. Habitat loss is the biggest threat they face. We’re taking away the places they need to live and survive.

While I’m sharing a few pictures of different animals, I hope you enjoy all the photos I’m sharing today, but particularly the Red Pandas.  And I’d love to hear your thoughts. Are you as enchanted by red pandas as I am?  Then let me know in the comments.