Red Panda Forest Forges New Wildlife Connections 

This summer, the Minnesota Zoo opened one of its most highly anticipated new habitats — Red Panda Forest. Funded through the generosity of Circle of Life Society donors to the Minnesota Zoo Foundation, this multispecies habitat has quickly become a guest favorite, bringing more and new visitors to the Zoo where they’ve connected with the habitat’s threatened and endangered animals. 

Home to red pandas, tufted deer, and red-crowned cranes, the habitat offers triple the recommended space for red pandas in human care, plus solar-powered, air-conditioned spaces to keep them cool through Minnesota’s warmest months. Designed with both animals and guests in mind, two fully accessible viewing areas invite people of all abilities to experience these remarkable species up close, fostering deeper connections between visitors and wildlife.  

Beyond its innovative features, Red Panda Forest reinforces the Zoo’s role as a leader in global conservation. Each species within the habitat is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, and the Zoo’s participation in the Red Panda SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program continues to advance efforts to protect this endangered species in the wild. 

But incredible work like this would not be possible without the support of our community. The vision and generosity of Foundation donors allows the Minnesota Zoo to take on important initiatives, like creating new habitats, that bring more of our community together with nature with the goal of saving wildlife.