Pip the Red Panda (2023-2024)
Obituary
Pip (short for Pipsqueak), a 1-year-old female red panda, was found in her den box at the Lake Superior Zoo after having passed from unknown causes during the night.
Pip was bred in captivity at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in Massachusetts as part of a program to monitor red panda populations within Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities and ensure that animals held together are good genetic pairs. Pip lived at the Lake Superior Zoo for just under four months before passing away. As of August 15, 2024, her cause of death is unknown though the Zoo has indicated it intends to make the information public when it is determined.
Although not always overt, wild animals suffer in captivity and cannot thrive under human care no matter the quality of the facility. World Animal Protection strongly discourages anyone from visiting venues where animals are bred for the purposes of keeping captive populations. Wild animals have a right to a wild life. Learn more about wildlife friendly travel.
