Two red pandas have arrived at Hogle Zoo, though the bears look more like raccoons than the giant, black and white bear-like animal that comes to mind.
These reddish-orange colored mammals, which were displayed at the zoo Friday, arrived from the Erie Zoo in Pennsylvania. They're taking up residence in their newly refurbished indoor and outdoor exhibit near the Penguin Cove.
The red pandas, Sarah and Ethel, are like their black and white cousins only because they also like bamboo. They are small in stature, weighing just 12 to 20 pounds and measuring about 20 to 26 inches in length.
The soles of their feet are covered in thick fur, which helps them walk on snow and ice. Active in the morning and evening, these endangered mammals are well adapted to climbing, searching the high forests in the Himalayas for bamboo. They are solitary creatures, spending most of their time in trees foraging for food.
Hogle Zoo is open year-round. Current daily hours are from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults (age 13-64), $5 for children (3-12) and seniors. Children 2 and younger are admitted free.