Baby red panda died from firework stress, says zoo

Edinburgh Zoo's babe reddish panda has died from accent caused by fireworks connected Bonfire Night, according to veterinary experts.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said three-month-old Roxie choked connected her ain vomit arsenic pyrotechnics were being acceptable disconnected crossed the city.

Roxie's parent Ginger besides died unexpectedly 5 days earlier, and vets accidental they cannot regularisation retired this besides being linked to firework noise.

The zoo is present joining with carnal payment charities and different campaigners successful calling for tighter restrictions connected fireworks.

Red pandas are autochthonal to the eastbound Himalayas and southbound occidental China but person go an endangered species, chiefly owed to situation loss, quality interference and poaching.

Roxie was calved successful July, taking the fig of captive reddish pandas astatine Edinburgh Zoo to four, and a 5th arrived successful Scotland from Whipsnade zoo successful October.

But connected 31 October, RZSS, which runs Edinburgh Zoo, announced the decease of nine-year-old Ginger, and her kit Roxie died 5 days later.

New powers banning the usage of fireworks came into unit successful 4 areas of Edinburgh betwixt 1-10 November - though this did not see the country astir the zoo.

Ben Supple, RZSS lawman main executive, said babe Roxie had entree to her den connected Bonfire Night but the "frightening noises" appeared to person been excessively overmuch for her.

He said: "Roxie had precocious mislaid her mum Ginger but was responding good to specializer attraction from our adept squad and was feeding independently.

"Very sadly, she choked connected her vomit connected Bonfire Night and our vets judge this was astir apt a absorption to fireworks.

"We cognize that fireworks tin origin accent to different animals successful the zoo and we cannot regularisation retired that they whitethorn person contributed to the untimely decease of Roxie’s parent Ginger, conscionable 5 days’ earlier."

There was wide upset crossed Edinburgh connected Bonfire Night - missiles were thrown astatine constabulary successful Gilmerton and Sighthill and determination was 2 instances of attacks connected firefighters successful the city.

Firework Control Zones were successful unit successful Niddrie, Balerno, Calton Hill and Seafield - wherever the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is located.

The Scottish authorities gave section authorities these powers successful 2022 pursuing a large riot successful Dundee.

Parts of Glasgow were owed to beryllium covered by a akin prohibition but it was was delayed until adjacent twelvemonth owed to a assembly error.

When Edinburgh's fireworks power zones were announced successful August, the Dogs Trust foundation said it backed a city-wide prohibition contempt not having immoderate centres successful Edinburgh.

RZSS has present called for tighter restrictions connected fireworks, saying they origin fearfulness and distress for pets, livestock and zoo animals.

It has backed a petition started by Julie Doorne successful Grantham, Lincolnshire, which has been signed by implicit a cardinal radical and been delivered to Downing Street.

The petition calls for:

• Restricting backstage usage of fireworks to accepted dates specified arsenic Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve, Chinese New Year and Diwali
• Reducing the maximum permitted decibels for backstage usage fireworks from 120 to 97
• Requiring each nationalist fireworks displays to beryllium licensed
• Requiring fireworks packaging to beryllium labelled indicating the sound level

Ben Supple said it was "essential" for the UK and Scottish governments to ace down connected the usage and merchantability of fireworks.

He said: "We enactment calls from carnal payment charities to prohibition the merchantability of fireworks to the public, with lone airy displays being permitted astatine organised events.

"This would assistance debar devastating consequences for animals similar Roxie portion ensuring that radical tin inactive bask accepted celebrations."

A spokesperson for the UK government's section for concern and commercialized said: "We are atrocious to perceive of the decease of Roxie the panda and our thoughts are with the squad who cared for her astatine Edinburgh Zoo.

"We endeavour to support pets and the nationalist harmless and that's wherefore we launched caller fireworks information run this play to assistance radical usage them safely and appropriately."