Welcome William
Meet the newest resident in Asian Highlands,
Chinese red panda William.
Utah’s Hogle Zoo is excited to welcome one-year-old Chinese red panda, William, to Asian Highlands!
About William
William came to Hogle Zoo from Lincoln Children’s Zoo based on Hogle Zoo’s recent transition to Chinese red panda care, which also allows him future breeding opportunities. At just one-year-old, William is a cautiously curious Chinese red panda, eager to explore new surroundings and enrichment opportunities. William’s care team describes him as a smart panda who enjoys training and learning new behaviors, and especially loves snack time with fruit or bamboo.
About Chinese red pandas
Chinese red pandas are well-equipped for life in Utah – they tend to live in colder climates and have larger bodies and longer fur to help keep them warm. With their reddish fur, striped tails, and darker facial markings, these pandas are similar to Himalayan red pandas and face the same threats: habitat loss, degradation, and poaching. In the past two decades, it’s estimated that the overall population of red pandas has declined by 40 percent.
Transition in care
William’s arrival comes after former Himalayan red panda, MowMow, departed Hogle Zoo on a breeding recommendation from the Red Panda Species Survival Plan (SSP).
Native to the mountainous forests of China, India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar, red pandas belong to their own family, Ailuridae. They are divided into two species: Ailurus fulgens fulgens (Himalayan red pandas, like MowMow) and Ailurus fulgens styani (Chinese red pandas, like William). Through our partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) and several recommendations, we have transferred our care from Himalayan red pandas to Chinese red pandas.
MowMow's Move
MowMow recently made his move to The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, to contribute to the conservation of his endangered species. The move was recommended by the Red Panda SSP, which coordinates breeding and transfers to help maintain a genetically diverse, biologically healthy population
To get ready for his transport, MowMow had been practicing early wake-up times and training sessions, which helped him participate in voluntary crating. Thanks to his cooperation and trust in our teams, the move went smoothly, and MowMow is settling in nicely in Virginia.
The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, which is closed to the public, plays a leading role in global efforts to protect wildlife species from extinction and train future conservationists. While we will miss MowMow, we’re proud to support the Red Panda SSP in growing red panda populations.
Thank you to our amazing team members for their dedication and care for MowMow, who worked tirelessly to support his move. Their passion and hard work continues to shine through the transition of care to Chinese red pandas. We are so excited to welcome William to the Hogle Zoo family! You can visit William now in Asian Highlands.
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