An endangered red panda has arrived at Chester Zoo for a "blind date" as part of a conservation breeding programme.
The two-year-old female red panda, named Akashi, was selected as the "perfect companion" for Chester Zoo's male panda Koda due to her age, health and genetics.
Dave White, team manager at the zoo, said Akashi has been exploring her new home and settling in.
"At just two years old, she’s already a really confident panda and it didn’t take long before she was climbing trees, foraging for food and chewing through plenty of bamboo," said White.
He added: "Red pandas are shy and calm creatures, but they can be highly territorial, which is why we didn’t waste any time in introducing Akashi and Koda."
When the pair met at the zoo, it was "a real 'blind date' moment", White said, adding that "initial signs have been really positive".
"We’ve already seen some playful chasing and a couple of feisty stand-offs over the best tree branches and favourite sleep spots – which is completely normal panda behaviour and exactly what you want to see," he said.
"Now they’re settling in, we’re hopeful that Koda and Akashi will form a strong bond and, in time, we might one day hear tiny squeaks of cubs coming from their den – playing an important role in securing a long-term future for this wonderful species."
Red pandas are found in mountainous regions of Nepal, India, Bhutan, Myanmar and southern China, but fewer than 10,000 are thought to remain in the wild.
The population has declined by 40 percent over the past 20 years, largely due to habitat loss, poaching and trapping for the illegal wildlife trade.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has declared the species as endangered.
Images courtesy of Chester Zoo
