Red panda Roshani visits Melbourne Zoo vet

Bonnie

Health checks are an important part of our life,especially as we get older.And the same can be said for Melbourne Zoo's red panda great-grandmother,Roshani.

At 13 years old,Roshani is considered old,but she remains quite active,spending most of her days high up in the trees of her zoo habitat.Melbourne Zoo keeper Craig Williams said a full health check by the zoo's vet team showed Roshani had some general signs of ageing,but was maintaining (保持) a good weight for an older animal.“The health check went well.Roshani has some mild arthritis (關節炎) in her wrists,and her teeth are a bit worn,but nothing we wouldn't expect to see in a red panda of her age,”Mr Williams said.

As part of the health check,vets conducted blood and urine tests on Roshani,as well as a full dental assessment.“In older red pandas,like Roshani,we are checking for things like dental wear because red pandas use their teeth a lot,eating bamboo.So,we're just making sure her teeth are in good condition,and also checking her body condition for things like arthritis that older animals get,”Mr Williams said.

Roshani lives at the zoo with her younger companion,Seba,who is 10.Seba's a bit more outgoing than Roshani,who can be quite shy and reserved.Together Roshani and Seba spend most of their time eating bamboo and sleeping high up in the trees.

Red pandas are native to the Himalayas,a great mountain range in Asia,but their facial features,gentle nature,reddish-brown fur and long tails make them popular around the world.The species is classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List.Their population is declining (減少) in the wild,with habitat destruction and hunting two continuing threats.

Melbourne Zoo participates in a worldwide red panda breeding (繁殖) program with the purpose of providing a population as insurance against severe declines in the wild.