Animal Rights Activists Call for Fireworks Ban After the Death of a Baby Red Panda
The panda was only 3 months old at the time of her death.
Published Nov. 14 2024, 11:23 a.m. ET
Sad news arrives from the Edinburgh Zoo on Nov. 13, 2024, when the organization announced the death of a 3-month-old red panda kit named Roxy. The news came out around a week after Roxy's death, offering a little insight into what the experts believe caused the loss of life.
Sadly, it sounds like this incident was completely preventable, since zoo officials claim it's likely that the baby red panda died from stress. Learn more about what happened to Roxy, and what some animal rights enthusiasts are hoping to do about it, below.
Roxy the red panda kit died due to stress caused by fireworks.
According to NBC News, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), a wildlife conservation charity which operates the Edinburgh Zoo, announced Roxy's death, followed closely by what they believe the cause was. The RZSS further revealed that the 3-month-old had "died due to stress caused by fireworks being let off across the city center."
According to the RZSS, Roxy's death was an unpleasant one (warning: the details may be hard to read).
"Very sadly, she choked on her vomit on Bonfire Night and our vets believe this was probably a reaction to fireworks," a representative from the organization said in a statement reviewed by NBC News.
The fireworks in question were launched in conjunction with the region's annual celebration of Bonfire Night, better known as Guy Fawkes night, which takes place each November 5th.
This wasn't the only misfortune that had befallen the red panda population at the Edinburgh Zoo recently, either. “Roxie had recently lost her mum Ginger but was responding well to specialist care from our expert team and was feeding independently," the statement explained.
While Roxy did have access to somewhere to escape from the noise, RZSS said it wasn't enough to make a difference.
"Roxie had access to her den but the frightening noises seem to have been too much for her," the statement continued. "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."
The series of fireworks related deaths at Edinburgh Zoo also highlights just how ill-equipped most zoos and facilities are to care for wild animals, and why it's preferential to leave them in their natural habitat.
Fireworks are not only environmentally unsafe, they are also harmful to animals.
For those who don't know, fireworks are known to be very bad for the environment. Between the 60,000 metric tons of CO2 Hydrogen Fuel News says the colorful displays release into the environment each year and the contamination they leave behind in their wake, there are many reasons to reconsider the pastime or even to opt for more eco-friendly choices.
When it comes to their immediate impact, it's hard to ignore how much harm they do to the animals terrified by the loud noises and confusing visuals. With Ginger and Roxy as such high-profile examples of the danger, it's no wonder that a petition to end the practice has gained so much support.
According to NBC News, 1.1 million people signed a petition delivered to Prime Minster Keir Starmer. As to whether or not the public outcry has any pull, well that remains to be seen.
