Aww Alert! Baby Red Panda Makes Debut At Detroit Zoo [PHOTOS]

ROYAL OAK (CBS Detroit) - The final weekend of summer brought an "aww"-inducing surprise for visitors to the Detroit Zoo.

A baby female red panda named Tofu, the offspring of 10-year-old Ta-Shi and 6-year-old Shifu, was spotted close to her mother on Saturday in their wooded habitat across from the Amur tigers.

Scott Carter, Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) chief life sciences officer, said Tofu was born on June 22 — but mom had kept her baby safely hidden away until now.

"Ta-Shi took her time bringing her adorable baby girl out into public view, but it was worth the wait," said Carter, in a media release.  "We're happy to welcome Tofu to the Detroit Zoo and to contribute to the captive population of this threatened species."

Found in the mountainous regions of Nepal, Myanmar and central China, red pandas are classified as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species due to deforestation.

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) , despite its name, is not closely related to the much bigger, black and white giant panda. Resembling a raccoon, it is about the size of a house cat, with rust-colored fur and an 18-inch white-ringed tail.

Red pandas are skilled and agile climbers, spending most of their time hanging from tree branches or lounging on limbs.  The zoo says the red panda is typically a shy and solitary animal, except when mating.

The DZS conducts field work in Nepal to study and conserve red pandas in the wild.  Part of this work requires the use of trail cameras triggered by motion and heat to take pictures and remotely monitor populations of red pandas and other species.

Get Detoit Zoo directions, hours and ticket information HERE.