Red Pandas Return To The National Zoo

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The National Zoo has announced that after a hiatus, two new red pandas have moved to its main zoo in Woodley park.

Tusa, a 1-year-old male, and Asa, a 1-year-old female, are the first red pandas at the zoo in two years. The two are calling the Small Mammal House their home until they move into the red panda exhibit.

Zoo spokesman Steve Zara says upgrades are being made to the exhibit and are expected to be finished by summer. The new space provides a quieter environment complete with heating, air conditioning and new perches, as well as a window where visitors can view the animals.

Red pandas are native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. Zara says conservationists estimate fewer than 10,000 red pandas remain in the wild.

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