Pueblo Zoo mourns the death of Rusty, the famous red panda escape artist from D.C.

Rusty, the red panda known across the country for his escape from the Smithsonian National Zoo, died earlier this month at age 10 at the Pueblo Zoo.

The zoo does not yet know the cause of death, said Sandy Morrison, marketing and communications manager for the Pueblo Zoo, but his death on Oct. 14 was “very unexpected.”

Rusty was born in 2012 at the Lincoln Children's Zoo in Nebraska. He made headlines in 2013 when he escaped the National Zoo in Washington, and instantly became famous as social media went into a frenzy with people wondering where he had gone.

He was later spotted in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of D.C. by Ashley Foughty, a resident in the area, according to a report from NPR.

Rusty's escape in Washington, D.C.: Red panda missing from Washington zoo is found

Foughty’s tweet helped zoo officials secure Rusty and return him to the facility several hours after his escape. But his newfound reputation as an escape artist enthralled city residents.

Zoo officials were puzzled by the escape as there was no clear escape route, according to a report from The Washington Post, but they later determined rain had likely weighted down limbs on a tree canopy and allowed him to crawl onto another tree and out of his enclosure.

Rusty showed “signs of good health” after his escape.

“So many people from 2013 remember him getting out and exploring Washington D.C., which is hilarious,” Morrison said.

Rusty was transferred to the Pueblo Zoo in 2019 as part of the species survival plan, Morrison said, which moves animals around for breeding purposes to ensure strong genetic diversity and maintain a species’ population.

He later mated with Priya, who birthed twins — Mogwai and Momo. They were born in August 2021 and were separated from Rusty months ago as red pandas are solitary creatures, Morrison said. Priya was relocated to Utah’s Hogle Zoo where she met another red panda named Mao Mao after a “Tinder-ish” courtship, she said.

Most, if not all, Pueblo Zoo visitors weren’t aware of Rusty’s famous escape nine years ago but knew him as the father of Mogwai and Momo, Morrison said. Some visitors did express excitement over his courtship with Priya and others frequently reported a fondness for Rusty and other red pandas, all of which became a draw since the Pueblo Zoo is the only facility in the state that houses the species, she said.

“(Rusty) was a very independent panda and there were some days he was out running around and putting on a show for people,” Morrison said. “A lot of times he was curled up and had his face covered by his big old tail.”

Although no one would have been surprised, Rusty never tried to attempt to escape from the Pueblo Zoo, Morrison said. Zoo officials were aware of his past and kept a close eye on him.

Many of them worked closely with Rusty but none more so than Bethany Morlind, an area supervisor who developed a bond with him, Morrison said.

"I feel very lucky to have earned his trust and been able to work closely with him over the past years,” Morlind wrote on the Pueblo Zoo’s Facebook page. “He was a great ambassador for his species and will be missed by staff and guests alike."

Mogwai and Momo are the first red pandas to be born at the Pueblo Zoo, Morrison said, and they are joined by 11-year-old Rupert as the only red pandas on site. The zoo celebrates and honors the species annually with crafts and educational activities on International Red Panda Day, which typically occurs in mid-to-late September.

Morrison said Rusty also had three offspring while living at the Smithsonian National Zoo, helping bolster a species that is considered endangered, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

“He definitely left a great legacy,” Morrison said. “He was a great ambassador for his species and the Pueblo Zoo. He left behind offspring and here at the zoo, his lineage will go on.”

Pueblo Zoo visitors can spot Mogwai and Momo in their enclosure located opposite of the otter exhibit and near the EcoCenter.

Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @josuepwrites.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo Zoo mourns death of Rusty, famous red panda escapee from D.C.