Maliha the red panda delivers another cub at Lansing's Potter Park Zoo
LANSING – Rest assured that Maliha, Potter Park Zoo's female red panda, is doing her part to bolster the population of her endangered species.
Zoo officials announced Tuesday that she gave birth to a healthy cub on July 21.
It's the third litter in Lansing for the 8-year-old Maliha and her second in two years. The father of the last two litters is Deagan-Reid, who was brought to the zoo from Tennessee in 2021 as part of the Species Survival Program.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums pairs animals in an effort to maintain genetic diversity.
Every litter of red panda cubs is a big deal in conservation circles. There are now fewer than 205 red pandas living in AZA-affiliated zoos, Potter Park officials said.
Red pandas resemble raccoons and foxes and are about the size of a domestic cat.
Annie Marcum, Potter park's carnivore area lead keeper, said the newborn cub is nursing and growing at a healthy rate. Maliha has been "excellent" with the cub, she said.
Red panda cubs don't begin venturing out of the nest for about two months. Maliha and her cub will be off exhibit during that time, officials said.
Contact Ken Palmer at kpalmer@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBPalm_lsj
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Maliha the red panda delivers another cub at Lansing's Potter Park Zoo
