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Baby red panda died from firework stress, says zoo

RZSS A baby red panda stares into the camera with its mouth open and paws clasped - it is being held by a zookeeper wearing a blue RZSS top and red gloves. The person's face is not pictured.RZSS
Roxie the baby red panda was three months old when she died

Edinburgh Zoo's baby red panda has died from stress caused by fireworks on Bonfire Night, according to veterinary experts.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said three-month-old Roxie choked on her own vomit as pyrotechnics were being set off across the city.

Roxie's mother Ginger also died unexpectedly five days earlier, and vets say they cannot rule out this also being linked to firework noise.

The zoo is now joining with animal welfare charities and other campaigners in calling for tighter restrictions on fireworks.

RZSS Ginger the adult red panda sits on a tree perch looking towards the camera. She has dark brown limbs and a red and white face.RZSS
Ginger the adult red panda died five days before her kit Roxie

Red pandas are native to the eastern Himalayas and south western China but have become an endangered species, mainly due to habitat loss, human interference and poaching.

Roxie was born in July, taking the number of captive red pandas at Edinburgh Zoo to four, and a fifth arrived in Scotland from Whipsnade zoo in October.

But on 31 October, RZSS, which runs Edinburgh Zoo, announced the death of nine-year-old Ginger, and her kit Roxie died five days later.

New firework control powers

New powers banning the use of fireworks came into force in four areas of Edinburgh between 1-10 November - though this did not include the area around the zoo.

Ben Supple, RZSS deputy chief executive, said baby Roxie had access to her den on Bonfire Night but the "frightening noises" appeared to have been too much for her.

He said: "Roxie had recently lost her mum Ginger but was responding well to specialist care from our expert team and was feeding independently.

"Very sadly, she choked on her vomit on Bonfire Night and our vets believe this was probably a reaction to fireworks.

"We know that fireworks can cause stress to other animals in the zoo and we cannot rule out that they may have contributed to the untimely death of Roxie’s mother Ginger, just five days’ earlier."

Watch: Fireworks set off on Scottish streets on Bonfire Night

There was widespread disorder across Edinburgh on Bonfire Night - missiles were thrown at police in Gilmerton and Sighthill and there was two instances of attacks on firefighters in the city.

Police have made a number of arrests and on Thursday, confirmed four teenage boys - aged 15, 16 and two aged 17 - had been charged in connection with fireworks offences relating to Bonfire Night in the city.

In total, 13 people aged between 13 and 40 have been charged over disturbances on 5 November.

Firework Control Zones were in force in Niddrie, Balerno, Calton Hill and Seafield - where the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is located.

The Scottish government gave local authorities these powers in 2022 following a major riot in Dundee.

Parts of Glasgow were due to be covered by a similar ban but it was was delayed until next year due to a council error.

When Edinburgh's fireworks control zones were announced in August, the Dogs Trust charity said it backed a city-wide ban despite not having any centres in Edinburgh.

RZSS has now called for tighter restrictions on fireworks, saying they cause fear and distress for pets, livestock and zoo animals.

It has backed a petition started by Julie Doorne in Grantham, Lincolnshire, which has been signed by over a million people and been delivered to Downing Street.

The petition calls for:

  • Restricting private use of fireworks to traditional dates such as Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and Diwali
  • Reducing the maximum permitted decibels for private use fireworks from 120 to 97
  • Requiring all public fireworks displays to be licensed
  • Requiring fireworks packaging to be labelled indicating the noise level

Ben Supple said it was "essential" for the UK and Scottish governments to crack down on the use and sale of fireworks.

He said: "We support calls from animal welfare charities to ban the sale of fireworks to the public, with only light displays being permitted at organised events.

"This would help avoid devastating consequences for animals like Roxie while ensuring that people can still enjoy traditional celebrations."

A spokesperson for the UK government's department for business and trade said: "We are sorry to hear of the death of Roxie the panda and our thoughts are with the team who cared for her at Edinburgh Zoo.

"We endeavour to keep pets and the public safe and that's why we launched new fireworks safety campaign this season to help people use them safely and appropriately."