MACON, Ga. — One of Zoo Atlanta's red pandas, Ruby, was found dead by her care team Friday, according to a press release from Zoo Atlanta.
“This is a devastating loss for Zoo Atlanta. Our thoughts are with Ruby’s care team who, like all of the Animal Care Teams at Zoo Atlanta, are deeply committed to the animals and devote each day to their superior care and well-being,” Vice President of Animal Health Sam Rivera, DVM, said.
At this time, Zoo Atlanta says they do not know "the definitive cause" of Ruby's death.
However, a preliminary necropsy — similar to a human autopsy — seems to suggest Ruby died of mesenteric torsion. That condition is where one's intestines twist, which can often be fatal.
The Zoo says they're partnering with UGA's Zoo and Exotic Animal Pathology Service to provide a more concrete understanding of how Ruby died.
“While it is too early for us to presume on any specific cause, we are hopeful that pathology report results will tell us more about Ruby’s condition,” Rivera said.
Ruby arrived at Zoo Atlanta just over a year ago, in February 2023, with her sister, Rose.
Red Pandas are a completely separate species from giant pandas, which Zoo Atlanta says share a distinct common ancestor but "they are not closely related," they wrote in a press release.
Zoo Atlanta is currently the only zoo in the U.S. which has giant pandas.