A moment of silence for Shama, the red panda.
The cute and cuddly 7-year-old tree dweller lived at the Smithsonian's Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, where she was battling a neurological disorder that was discovered shortly after she gave birth to three cubs on June 26.
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Post by Smithsonian's National Zoo.
Shama's condition was discovered Aug. 13 and progressed quickly. She had to be euthanized on Saturday "due to her worsening clinical condition and poor neurological function, which was likely attributed to accumulation of fluid in the brain," according to a statement from the Smithsonian National Zoo on Facebook.
Shama's condition has been linked to a strain of encephalitis associated with a microscopic parasite. Her cubs are in healthy condition and being hand-reared by the zoo's staff. As a precaution, the three cubs and Shama's mate, Rusty, are all receiving anti-protozoal treatment to reduce risk of parasitic infections.
The mischievous Rusty was also recently in the news after he escaped from his enclosure at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., in June 2013.
We are looking for a missing red panda, a male named Rusty. He was last seen at 6 p.m. last night. pic.twitter.com/JHVB79x8XY— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) June 24, 2013
National Zoo Director Dennis Kelly said in a press release, "Shama's death is a big loss for all of us. ... I have a lot of confidence in the team caring for the surviving cubs and hope this creates an opportunity for scientists to research infectious diseases that affect red pandas."
Support and condolences have been pouring in from people who follow the Smithsonian National Zoo on social media. Hundreds of people around the world are going to miss that kitten-like face.
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