Elmwood Park Zoo Mourns Loss of Red Panda Named Shreddar

NORRISTOWN, Pa. (CBS)—The Elmwood Park Zoo has announced the death of their 2-year-old male red panda named Shreddar.

The zoo says Shreddar was found unresponsive on Wednesday.

"Shredder showed no signs of illness and was even seen eating bamboo throughout the day. Just as in people, animals' hearts can be abnormal without any clinical signs," explained Dr. Adam Denish, Elmwood Park Zoo's veterinarian. "Research from zoos across the country shows that heart disease such as cardiomyopathy can be a common cause of death in young red pandas," said Denish.

According to the zoo, on Tuesday animal care staff performed an emergency evaluation and found that Shredder had an irregular heartbeat and fluid in his lungs. Despite medical treatment, Shredder succumbed within a few hours.

Shredder was born in June 26, 2014. He was one of three red panda brothers that arrived at the Elmwood Park Zoo from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in the spring of 2015.

His brother, Clinger, passed away in December 2015 of encephalitis caused by a brain parasite.