Overview
- Veterinarians found abnormal bloodwork during Khumbie’s annual exam under anesthesia, and exploratory surgery showed cancer in his liver, gallbladder, and abdominal lymph nodes, leading to a humane euthanasia.
- Khumbie was 11, which is at or above the typical 8 to 10 years red pandas live in the wild.
- Born June 15, 2014, at the Erie Zoological Gardens, he arrived in Philadelphia in November 2015 and sired two male cubs, Pingjing and Yaren, in 2017.
- The zoo shared photos and keeper memories that showed a gentle, food-motivated animal who trained well and sometimes woke with bent whiskers.
- With another red panda, Honey, having died in November from anesthesia complications, the zoo now has none and is discussing future placements with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan.