Baby Red Panda Stressed to Death by Fireworks

A baby red panda named Roxie died last week at the Edinburgh Zoo, apparently from stress induced by fireworks on Bonfire Night. Veterinarians at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland say the three-month-old panda choked on her own vomit while pyrotechnics boomed across the city.

Roxie's mother Ginger also died unexpectedly five days earlier, and vets suspect noise from fireworks killed her as well. The week between Halloween and Guy Fawkes Day are celebrated, loudly, across the UK. The zoo is now joining with other animal-welfare groups to clamp down on fireworks that are so disturbing to animals in zoos and at home.

A petition launched by the Firework Campaign UK has been signed by more than 1.1 million people. Campaign head Julie Doorne says she will deliver the petition to 10 Downing Street soon. Doorne’s beloved horse Talullah had to be put down in 2023 on New Year’s Day, “a direct result of our neighbors letting off fireworks close by,” she wrote on the campaign’s blog.

The campaign isn’t making unreasonable demands. It seeks to restrict private fireworks to traditional dates – November 5th, New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year, and Diwali; reduce maximum permitted decibel levels (of private fireworks) from 120 to 97; require that all public fireworks displays are licensed; and require fireworks packaging to indicate decibel levels on the label.

Red pandas are not related (closely) to giant pandas, they’re closer kin to raccoons or skunks. They are native to southwestern China and the eastern Himalayas and are endangered for the usual reasons: habitat loss and poaching.

And now fireworks. The Edinburgh Zoo has three remaining red pandas, including Roxie’s father, Bruce.

Photo credit: Royal Zoological Society of Scotland