baby red panda

Rare baby red panda born at the Toronto Zoo has the most adorable nickname ever

It's a boy! A male baby red panda! The Toronto Zoo has welcomed their newest member, and its nickname is the cutest thing ever.

Paprika, the four-year-old red panda gave birth to a cub cutely nicknamed Baby Spice (a la Spice Girls), a 221-g baby boy, on July 13.

Red pandas are an endangered species with low wild population levels of around 2,500 to 10,000, according to the zoo. The species are thought to be on a decline and are tracking to have their population reduced by 50 per cent in just 20 years.

The zoo said Paprika and her cub are doing well and shared a video of the pair snuggling and bathing on Thursday. An official name for the cub has to yet be picked. 

This is the fourth red panda born at the zoo in 25 years, an incredible accomplishment for first-time mom Paprika and father Suva.

The couple were introduced when Paprika was brought to the zoo as a potential mate for Suva in 2021.

In order to let mom and baby rest and to give them time to bond, neither Paprika or Baby Spice will viewable to the public at this time.

Red pandas are small mammals native to the Himalayas and China, known for their red and brown fur. Despite their name, red pandas are not related to giant pandas and are more closely related to raccoons and skunks.

The last red panda baby was born at the Toronto Zoo in 2020. Red pandas also have another Toronto connection, thanks to Domee Shi's Turning Red Pixar movie, which takes place in Canada's largest city. 

Lead photo by

The Toronto Zoo


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