Why families will enjoy it
Staten Island Zoo keeps red pandas, not the giant pandas implied by the former title and its unrelated Washington source. Red pandas are small, tree-dwelling mammals native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, with rust-colored coats, ringed tails and physical adaptations suited to climbing.
What to expect
The species eats a bamboo-heavy diet but is not closely related to the giant panda. Zoo interpretation places its appealing appearance beside a more serious conservation story involving forest loss, fragmented habitat and declining wild populations. Enclosures use elevated branches and sheltered spaces to reflect the animal's arboreal behavior.
Plan your visit
The red-panda habitat sits within a compact zoo founded in 1936 in the West New Brighton neighborhood. Staten Island Zoo is also known for reptiles, children's programming and a diverse animal collection arranged on walkable grounds, giving families a smaller-scale alternative to New York's largest wildlife parks.
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