BBC News Online: Sci/Tech

Zoo birth of rare panda

The cub and its mother, called Tsaka, will remain in isolation for about a month at the River Red Zoo in the city of Fargo.

Known for its soft chestnut-red fur, white mask and long, bushy tail, the red panda resembles a racoon in size and appearance.

Red pandas are native to the Himalayas and the remote bamboo forests of southern China.

Declining population

There is increasing evidence that the red panda is rare and is continuing to decline.

There are only two or three thousand still alive in the wild; about 50 of the animals live in zoos in the Western Hemisphere.

The major threats to red pandas are deforestation, and poaching for the pet and fur trades. In China, the fur is used to make hats and clothing.

In Yunnan Province, the hat, with its long, luxurious tail at the back, is desired by newlyweds because it is regarded as a talisman for a happy marriage.

The red panda's diet is unusual as it eats mostly bamboo leaves. But it will supplement this diet with berries, mushrooms, grasses and bark.