DULUTH, Minn. — A beloved red panda at the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth died suddenly last week after arriving at the zoo just months prior.
Officials with the zoo say Pip, a 1-year-old female red panda, was seen on security cameras going into her den Thursday around 10 p.m. and never came out.
According to a post on the zoo's Facebook page, Pip didn't show any signs of unusual behavior prior to her death, but said she was taken to the University of Minnesota, which is typical, for testing. Zoo officials say they hope to have more answers about what caused her death over the next several weeks.
"Each and every staff member at the zoo is devastated by the loss of Pip," said Haley Hedstrom, the zoo's CEO. "Though she was with us for only a short time, we all quickly fell in love with her charismatic personality. We appreciate the community’s understanding and support at this time.”
Pip arrived at the zoo on April 8 as part of its Species Survival Plan and was introduced to Zoozee, the Lake Superior Zoo's other red panda, in early June. She was previously at Buttonwood Park Zoo in Massachusetts, where officials say she was born small, leading to her name "Pipsqueak."
"Pip stole the hearts of all who cared for her," said Lizzy Larson, the zoo's director of animal care. "She had a big personality for her small size. Pip has left a lasting mark on all her keepers and she will be dearly missed.”
The animal care staff says Zoozoo is in good health, adding that they believe Pip's death was an "individualized incident."
