An 11-year-old geriatric female red panda named Sakura died from a cardiac arrest overnight at the Toronto Zoo this past week.
Sakura had been suffering from significant health challenges over the last few months, not uncommon for her age, as she showed abnormal neurological activity.
“We do not know if this was a primary heart event or something systemic that led to cardiac arrest and thus, we are doing extra testing to figure that out,” the zoo said in their statement posted Thursday.
The news of her death comes three weeks after her male cub, nicknamed “Smalls” due to his size, died in an incubator at the zoo.
Matumaini, a Masai giraffe nicknamed Matu for short, also died at the Zoo during a castration procedure last month.
She leaves behind a female cub, nicknamed “Biggie,” who has been provided supplemental feedings from the wildlife team to try to ensure her survival.
The male cub, referred to as Smalls until he could be named, was one of a pair unexpectedly born in June. He died at the zoo’s wildlife health
Sakura moved to the Toronto Zoo from the Greater Vancouver Zoo in January to spend her retirement from the Species Survival Plan program. However, she was found to be unexpectedly pregnant once the wildlife team conducted an ultrasound.
She gave birth to two cubs on June 13, defying an often difficult reproduction process for the species and helping bolster a fledgling red panda population that has declined by an estimated 50 per cent globally in the last 20 years.
Nic Masters, the director of wildlife health at the zoo, told the Star earlier this month that the zoo’s team had been carefully monitoring the cubs since birth, weighing them regularly to ensure they were continuing to put on weight.
Red pandas have a low offspring survival rate due to infections, such as distemper and pneumonia. According to the zoo, scientific studies show that as few as 40 per cent of red panda cubs reach their first birthday.
With the loss of Smalls and Sakura, the zoo said in their statement that they are now focusing on the health of Biggie as they will continue to reassess her condition and feeding schedule as she grows.
“We are now directing our full attention and energy into ensuring she continues to be well cared for and supported,” the zoo said.
This is a developing story.