14 DAY TRIAL // On May 30, a female red panda living at Birmingham Zoo in Alabama gave birth to a litter of two. The baby red pandas are still off-exhibit, but staff at this animal sanctuary were kind enough to release some pictures of them.
The one above shows the red panda cubs chilling in their den. Because they are very young, they are extremely delicate.
Zoo staff explain that their mother, 3-year-old Sorrel, is doing an amazing job looking after them.
Sorrel will not part with its offspring until they are 3 months old and ready to take on the world.
The baby red pandas are scheduled to make their first public appearance in autumn. Until then, people will have to settle for looking at pictures of them.
Red pandas are presently listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Zoo Borns reports. Deforestation is the main threat to the species' long-term survival.