Red pandas settle in to their new home at Schoenbrunn Zoo in Vienna

Native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, the group of red pandas (Ailurus fulgens) have recently been relocated to an enclosure twice the size of their previous one at the Schoenbrunn Zoo in Vienna. Their new 300-square-metre enclosure, now closer to the coati habitat, allows the red pandas more space to explore, said zoo officials.

It includes a large climbing structure made of locust tree trunks and feeding and sleeping areas which have been set up in a pine tree. Meanwhile, their former enclosure will be freed up and merged with the giant panda habitat, expanding it significantly.

Zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck said: "We are always thinking about how we can make the best use of the zoo's space for our animals. As the red pandas have now settled in well, they will soon have their new roommates, the small-clawed otters from the rainforest house.

"This will create another exciting communal enclosure that offers the animals mutual enrichment and visitors a wide range of animal observations."

Visitors will have an open view across a moat to watch the agile red pandas climb while watching the otters swim in the water below, Hering-Hagenbeck added.

Red pandas have been listed as 'Endangered' on IUCN's Red List of Threatened Species since 2015. The species is threatened by poaching as well as destruction and fragmentation of habitat due to deforestation. It is protected in all range countries.

Story: NewsX