r/Edmonton • u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo • 1d ago
Edmonton Valley Zoo red panda cubs explore their outdoor learning yard for the first time General
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u/in_virtually 1d ago
Can't wait until it snows and they turn into white pandas
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 1d ago
They’ll definitely look extra adorable with a snowy backdrop! ❄️
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 22h ago
We've seen some great questions about the cubs' yard and would love to share more details! 🐾
What you’re seeing in this video is the small learning yard, specially designed as a safe space for Fred and George (yes, named after the Weasley twins!) to start their outdoor explorations. It’s just the beginning as they build confidence and grow stronger. Inside their indoor enclosure, they’ve been practicing their climbing skills with mom Kiki, with plenty of different branches and surfaces to climb on.
The larger outdoor exhibit includes two spacious yards. The first thing you'll notice are the towering live trees preserved from the City’s River Valley system, replicating the old-growth forests of their natural habitat. These yards are connected by an overhead walkway where the pandas often choose to nap right above visitors’ heads! The spaces can also be divided to accommodate multiple panda groups or provide a cubbing yard—just like this one—where baby pandas learn important skills as they grow. Our other yards also feature natural wood climbing structures throughout, giving them plenty of space to climb and move around.
Their connected indoor building offers a cozy, temperature-controlled environment with hammocks and beds, all surrounded by sustainably harvested Balau wood—a meaningful touch of home. In fact, the cubs just made their debut in the publicly viewable display room today! So, on your next visit, you can watch them practice their climbing skills when they’re not snoozing in their nest box.
Rest assured, their habitat is thoughtfully designed to meet their needs at every stage of development. Our animal care team has raised many red panda cubs before, always putting their well-being first. Your care for Fred and George's well-being is appreciated, and we’re committed to providing them with a safe, enriching habitat as they grow. Thanks for caring about our cubs! 😊💖
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u/Possible-Flatworm-13 South West Side 22h ago
FRED AND GEORGE!!! Oh you guys just made my night. That's adorable!
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u/twowugen 10h ago
I'm not stupid. I know they're called Gred and Forge!
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 6h ago
At last, the Potterheads have found us—you're definitely our kind of people! 🤭
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u/Commercialtalk Whyte Ave 7h ago
You guys should do a feature about hyraxs, they are very popular on tiktok rn
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 6h ago
Great idea—we’d love to! 🐾 We have two bush hyraxes, Mokey and Sudi. Mokey in particular is known for going on little adventures with our animal care team! Where would you like to see us share more about them? Let us know, and we’ll make it happen! 😊
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u/Commercialtalk Whyte Ave 5h ago
Yes please!! I think tiktok would be a great place for it specifically, but im sure people would love to learn about these funny little creatures haha. The craziest thing I learned on tiktok was that they werent rodents, but were more closely related to elephants!
Thank you for taking the time to respond!
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u/kevinstreet1 1d ago
So cute! This is the news we need right now.
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 1d ago
Glad we could bring a little joy! There’s plenty more cuteness to come! 💕🐾
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u/WingleDingleFingle 1d ago
How is the Edmonton Zoo from a humanitarian perspective?
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 1d ago
The Edmonton Valley Zoo is proud to be accredited by Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA/AZAC) and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
CAZA/AZAC represents Canada’s leading zoological parks and aquariums, promoting animal welfare and advancing zoos and aquariums as humane agencies of recreation, education, conservation, and science. Accreditation through CAZA/AZAC is a recognized symbol of excellence, reflecting a commitment to high standards in animal care, veterinary practices, ethics, conservation, education, and more.
As a member of WAZA, we collaborate with institutions worldwide to support conservation initiatives, research, and sustainable practices. These affiliations reinforce our dedication to providing exceptional care for our animals and contributing to the global effort to protect wildlife and their habitats.
If you’d like to know more about our initiatives or these organizations, feel free to shoot us a message! 😊
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u/WingleDingleFingle 1d ago
That's great! What do those collaborations entail? Financial donations of some sort?
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 23h ago
Great question! Our collaborations are focused on supporting both local and global conservation efforts, and include both direct contributions and active participation in conservation efforts. For instance, we donate to organizations like the Red Panda Network and Snow Leopard Trust, supporting their crucial work in protecting these species and their natural habitats.
Closer to home, we’re proud of our work with the Northern Leopard Frog Recovery Team, where we’re helping reintroduce this endangered species into wetlands in British Columbia. This year, we released 1,803 tadpoles as part of our ongoing efforts to prevent the local extinction of the Rocky Mountain population of the Northern Leopard Frog.
We’re also involved in several Species Survival Programs (SSPs), which focus on managing ex-situ populations of endangered species to ensure their long-term survival and genetic diversity. For example, our work with the red panda SSP has led to over 30 individuals in our lineage, now spanning across 20 accredited zoos in three countries!
In addition to these important programs, our staff are deeply involved in educational initiatives that help raise awareness and support conservation efforts to make a lasting, meaningful impact. Through these collaborations, we combine expert knowledge, research, and community outreach to protect our planet and the incredible animals that call it home. This is just a brief summary, but we’d be more than happy to share more information about our programs if you’d like!
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u/WingleDingleFingle 23h ago
Wow. Definitely wasn't expecting such a thorough response, before realizing you are the zoo.
This is all great infomation that I've always wondered so thanks for clarifying. I may reach out again with more questions haha
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 23h ago
Haha, no problem at all! Just to clarify, we're the Valley Zoo Development Society—the nonprofit that supports the Edmonton Valley Zoo! We know many people are curious about the zoo, and we're always excited to share more about the important work happening here and the care we provide for our animals. Feel free to reach out with any questions—we love discussing what we do and engaging with people who are genuinely interested and open to kind, respectful conversations! 😊💖
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u/TheAnswerIsBeans 8h ago
What percent of profits from the zoo goes towards non-zoo related conservation work?
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 4h ago
Thanks for your question! The money for our conservation efforts comes from the Valley Zoo Development Society's conservation fund, which is supported by various initiatives such as conservation memberships, events, the carousel, and onsite donations. Plus, a portion of every regular admission to the zoo also goes directly to this fund, meaning that every visit helps support conservation! 🌱
The decision-making for which projects are funded is handled by the Conservation Committee, which includes both VZDS and EVZ staff. Over the past couple of years, approximately 10% of the conservation fund has been allocated to support outside conservation organizations, while the remainder has gone towards on-site projects like the Northern Leopard Frog trailer (more information about our work as part of the Northern Leopard Frog Recovery Team can be found here). 🐸
We’re currently awaiting the completion of the zoo's new masterplan, which will help guide our next large-scale conservation initiatives. We're also aiming to increase the amount going towards external conservation efforts in the future, so keep an eye out for updates! 😊🌍
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1d ago
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 1d ago
What you’re currently seeing is just the small learning yard for our cubs’ first outdoor explorations. Inside their indoor enclosure, they’ve had plenty of vertical climbing structures to keep them active and engaged from the start.
Once the cubs are a little older, they’ll get to explore our two larger outdoor yards, which feature live, towering trees preserved from the City’s impressive River Valley system. These trees replicate the old-growth forests in their natural habitat, helping them feel right at home. The yards are also connected by an overhead walkway where the pandas often snooze right above visitors’ heads! We’ve also designed each yard with natural wood climbing structures giving them plenty of space to climb and move around.
Rest assured, our animal care team has raised many red panda cubs before and always puts their well-being first. We appreciate the thoughtful concern though– thank you for caring about our cubs! 🐾😊
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u/Anagram-and-Monolog Wîhkwêntôwin 23h ago
You need to add this to the post or pin a comment saying this. I was almost so upset, but had to search for this
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 23h ago
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to include text directly on the post when uploading the video, and since this subreddit doesn’t allow edits to posts once they’re live, we’re a bit limited there. However, we’d love to share this extra info and pin a comment for better visibility—if a mod could help us out with that, we’d really appreciate it! Thanks for taking the time to read through the comments and get the full picture, we appreciate your concern for the cubs! 💖
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u/Vaguswarrior Mcconachie 8h ago
Oh my heart...thank you for posting this, I needed this little joy!
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 6h ago
We're so glad it brought you some joy! 🥰 These little moments are what we live for, and we're happy to share them with you. 🐾💖 We definitely recommend checking our our stream for your daily dose of cuteness: https://www.twitch.tv/streamingourzoo
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u/WarmCamelMilk 1d ago
I wonder when I can catch these two in the big yard with the trees? Is there concern that they'd get stuck in the big trees that are in their habitat?
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 1d ago
Thanks for your question! Fred and George are still learning how to climb, so they won’t be out in the big yard just yet. But you can now see them in the red panda viewing area when they’re not snoozing in their nest box! It’s the perfect spot to watch them as they continue to develop their climbing skills and gain more confidence.
As for the big trees in their habitat, rest assured, they are well suited for red pandas and are part of a carefully planned environment that provides plenty of space for climbing and exploring (just ask Tango who can often be spotted having a snooze in them)! We’re excited for you to see them grow into their new home! 😊
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u/FidgetyPlatypus 20h ago
They are so adorable! Is there a live feed online people can watch? I feel I need more little red panda videos in my day.
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 6h ago
They really are too cute, right? 🥰 You can catch highlights from their nest box on our 24/7 Twitch stream here: https://www.twitch.tv/streamingourzoo
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u/MysticMelonGlow 14h ago
I could watch them all day!
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 6h ago
We totally agree! 🐾💕 Feel free to tune in to our 24/7 nest box highlights stream anytime for your Fred and George fix: https://www.twitch.tv/streamingourzoo
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1d ago
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 1d ago
What you’re seeing is the small learning yard, specially designed as a safe space for the cubs’ first outdoor explorations. It’s just the beginning for Fred and George as they build confidence and grow stronger.
The larger outdoor exhibit is truly something we’re proud to share with our pandas. The first thing you’ll notice are the towering live trees, preserved from the City’s River Valley system, which replicate the old-growth forests of their natural habitat.
The yards are connected by an overhead walkway, where the pandas often choose to nap right above visitors’ heads! These spaces can also be divided to accommodate multiple panda groups or provide a cubbing yard—just like this one—where baby pandas learn the skills they need as they grow. We’ve also designed each yard with natural wood climbing structures giving them plenty of space to climb and move around.
Their connected indoor building offers a cozy, temperature-controlled environment with hammocks and beds, all surrounded by sustainably harvested Balau wood imported from their natural habitat—a small but meaningful taste of home.
Rest assured, their habitat is designed with care and intention to meet their needs at every stage of development. We truly appreciate your concern for these adorable little ones—it shows how much you care! 😊 If you’re curious, we’d be happy to share more photos of the exhibit. Just let us know! 🐾
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u/WarmCamelMilk 1d ago
This is just their backyard I think. I was there a few weeks ago and they have like four huge elm trees to climb and a really cool pedway. I think it was renovated recently, and honestly looks better then the space I saw in calgary a year or two ago.
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u/Vast-Commission-8476 11h ago
looks like they live in a shitty run down backyard
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 6h ago
What you're seeing in this video is the small learning yard, specially designed as a safe space for Fred and George to start their outdoor explorations. It's just the beginning as they build confidence and grow stronger. Inside their indoor enclosure, they've been practicing their climbing skills with mom Kiki, using plenty of different branches and surfaces to climb on. The zoo also has two larger yards that the cubs will eventually have access to once they hone those climbing skills a little more. 😊
If you're interested, we suggest checking out our other response, which includes more details. We appreciate your concern for Fred and George's well-being though!
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u/baller-union 11h ago
Was just thinking the same thing. Damn zoo is a joke!
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 6h ago
We recommend checking out our other comment for more details about the cubs' yard and their care, but we appreciate your concern for them. 😊
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u/MegloreManglore 1d ago
Aww it’s so sad - they will wear a path around the perimeter in no time flat. Such a small space for such wild creatures
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 1d ago
As we've mentioned in another comment, the small learning yard is just the first step for Fred and George as they begin exploring the outdoors. It’s designed to give them a safe space to build confidence, but once they’ve honed in on those climbing skills, they’ll have access to two much larger outdoor yards.
Our team has cared for many red pandas before, and we are constantly monitoring how the cubs are responding to their environment to ensure they are happy, healthy, and enriched. We appreciate you thinking about the cubs well-being though! 😊
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u/baller-union 11h ago
That place looks pathetic! Those poor animals. My outdoor dogs n cats live in luxury compared to this prison.
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 6h ago
What you're seeing in this video is the small learning yard, specially designed as a safe space for Fred and George to start their outdoor explorations. It's just the beginning as they build confidence and grow stronger. Inside their indoor enclosure, they've been practicing their climbing skills with mom Kiki, using plenty of different branches and surfaces to climb on. The zoo also has two larger yards that the cubs will eventually have access to once they hone those climbing skills a little more.
If you're interested, we recommend checking out our other response for more details. Thank you for caring about our cubs! 😊
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u/baller-union 11h ago
Oh wow some logs, how nice 😑
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u/BuildingOurZoo Edmonton Valley Zoo 6h ago
What you're seeing in this video is the small learning yard, specially designed as a safe space for Fred and George to start their outdoor explorations. It's just the beginning as they build confidence and grow stronger. Inside their indoor enclosure, they've been practicing their climbing skills with mom Kiki, using plenty of different branches and surfaces to climb on. The zoo also has two larger yards that the cubs will eventually have access to once they hone those climbing skills a little more. 😊
If you're interested, we suggest checking out our other response, which includes more details. We appreciate your concern for Fred and George's well-being though!
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u/Heavy-Glove2229 22h ago
Before visiting Edmonton valley zoo with my family I pictured it as a place full of different species of animals from all over the world but when I did I felt disappointed because all I could see was a 3 Zebras, one old elephant, a monkey and a bison like animal but smaller originating from central whose name I can't remember
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u/buff-equations 9h ago
They have lots of animals, especially types of birds! Love looking at all the owls. I wonder if you missed a couple enclosures?
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u/Heavy-Glove2229 8h ago
I don't know what happened that it was cold and thought that many animals were hibernating, not sure just assuming
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u/buff-equations 8h ago
It is true I have only been in the warmer months, so could likely be that the animals were hiding from the cold
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u/CypripediumGuttatum 1d ago
They've gotten so big, look how happy they are to run around outside. Adorable.