The second of two red panda cubs born at a California zoo dies

Animal NewsThe second of two red panda cubs born at a California zoo diesThe other died earlier this month at the Santa Barbara Zoo. The animals have an infant mortality rate of 40%.Listen to this article with a free profile00:0000:00Red panda Ruby at the Santa Barbara Zoo in California.Will Huebner / Santa Barbara ZooShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJuly 27, 2026, 9:03 PM EDTBy Phil HelselThe second of two red panda cubs born at a Santa Barbara Zoo in California earlier this summer died over the weekend, the zoo said Monday.Another cub born to a red panda named Ruby died earlier this month, the zoo said in a statement. That cub was found dead by zoo staff on July 21.Red panda cubs die at a rate of around 40%, the zoo said. The pair, born on July 2, were Ruby’s first cubs. The second cub had been “receiving around-the-clock care from our veterinary and animal care teams,” the zoo said in a statement.“While the cause of death remains under investigation, this loss is heartbreaking for everyone who cared for these cubs and for all who have followed their journey,” the zoo said.Red pandas Ruby and cubs in their nest box at Santa Barbara Zoo in California. Will Huebner / Santa Barbara ZooThe zoo had taken that cub from Ruby on July 19 after staff noticed it was not nursing properly, the zoo said. Red panda cub at Santa Barbara Zoo in California.Will Huebner / Santa Barbara Zoo“He remained in critical condition in a temperature-controlled incubator while receiving tube and bottle feedings, antibiotics and continuous veterinary monitoring,” the zoo said.The cubs were born to the red pandas Ruby and Raj, and the next breeding opportunity won’t be until next year because its seasonal, the zoo said.Red pandas Ruby, right and Raj, left at the Santa Barbara Zoo in California.Will Huebner / Santa Barbara ZooRed pandas, which are a little larger than a house cat, are considered endangered, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Over half of their territory in the eastern Himalayas and...