Jannik, a male red panda, arrives at Selwo Aventura

Selwo Aventura facilities have a new resident. This time, it is a male red panda named Jannik. He is 11 months old and until recently lived in La Tobeira, Italy. He is now fully adapted to his new home - very close to the zoo entrance - which he shares with Timbu, a female of this Asian species with whom he forms a breeding pair, as part of the European Endangered Species Programme by EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria). This program aims to conserve species at risk of extinction. Timbu was already a mother in 2022 to a female - Khusi - with Mitsuke, her previous partner at Selwo Aventura, as reported by the park's conservation department. It is now hoped that the breeding program for this endangered species, listed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, will continue, in this case thanks to the arrival of Jannik. The IUCN, the benchmark indicator in animal conservation, placed Ailurus fulgens on its list because its population had declined by 50% over three generations - estimated at 18 years - and was expected to continue decreasing over the next three generations. Deforestation is one of the direct threats to this species, given that their diet consists mainly of bamboo; poaching and pet trade are also harmful as it is a wild, non-domesticable animal. Moreover, the dispersion to find food causes the population to fragment, and this has two direct effects on their survival: the difficulty of reproduction and exposure to new dangers. The average lifespan of the species ranges between 12 and 14 years. Pairs reproduce once a year, giving birth in summer (from late May to early August). Their sexual maturity occurs at 18 months, although, in the case of females, they do not give birth until their second birthday. The EEP is one of the programs that Selwo collaborates with, within the networks of national and European zoos to which it belongs: AIZA, the Iberian Association of Zoos and Aquariums, as well as the aforementioned EAZA, organizations committed to animal welfare, species conservation, and biodiversity. Eloy Serrano, head of conservation at Selwo Aventura, is very pleased with Jannik's arrival: “He is a very young animal, and we hope he will make his contribution to the EEP program, he is undoubtedly a perfect candidate.”