Asheville Reporter

The WNC Nature Center has announced the passing of Leafa, a female red panda. Leafa's health had been declining over recent months, and she passed away at the center.

Leafa was born in 2009 at the Red River Zoo in Fargo, North Dakota. In 2018, she and her male counterpart, Phoenix, arrived at the WNC Nature Center from the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. They were the first red pandas exhibited in Western North Carolina. Erin Oldread, Curator of Animal Programs at the center, stated that "they were immediately embraced by all who came out to meet them and quickly became the most popular residents at the Nature Center."

Red pandas are critically endangered due to habitat loss in Central Asia. Zoos like the WNC Nature Center provide safe havens crucial for their survival. During her lifetime, Leafa gave birth to eight cubs, contributing significantly to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Red Panda Species Survival Plan.

Oldread expressed sorrow over Leafa's passing: “We are all heartbroken,” but emphasized that they did everything possible to give her a wonderful seven years at the center.