One of the most popular animals at the Lake District Wildlife Park is the Red Panda. 

If you have visited the park before it is likely that you will have seen the adorable pair, Charu and Mei Li up in their oak tree.

If you are lucky, you may have seen them moving around, but it is more likely you will have seen them asleep. They do however get up when their keepers arrive with fresh bamboo which is their main food in the wild.

News and Star: A close up shot of a red panda A close up shot of a red panda (Image: Lake District Wildlife Park)

Red Pandas eat a lot of bamboo, they can eat up to 20,000 leaves and shoots each day, per panda…and the park has two mouths to feed! Each day Charu and Mei Li get a fresh delivery of hand-picked bamboo, which is grown on site for them throughout the year.

If you look across the park you will see bamboo plants some of which has been established for years and some which is the start of our increased managed bamboo feed stock.

News and Star: A red panda at to zoo A red panda at to zoo (Image: Lake District Wildlife Park)

For many years the park has also grown its own hay to feed other animals over the winter. They are gradually coming up with more sustainable and environmentally friendly methods to feed the animals that they house.

Browse (which essentially means leafy branches) is a very important part of the modern husbandry in keeping animals, including red pandas, goats, and lemurs. There are also plenty of hedgerows and trees around the park which are also managed with the provision of food in mind.

The amount of bamboo which is gradually being increased is not only providing food, but it will also be providing more habitat for other wildlife to thrive such as insects and birds.

News and Star: A red panda eating bamboo A red panda eating bamboo (Image: Lake District Wildlife Park)

At this time of the year as we reach spring, it is a good time to plant bamboo so the project will begin soon.

It is also a time we know you might be heading out into the garden as it warms up and splitting bamboo is one of those spring jobs.

News and Star: A red panda at the wildlife park A red panda at the wildlife park (Image: Lake District Wildlife Park)

We are on the look-out for more bamboo and our request is, if you were looking to split or remove your own fast-growing bamboo in the garden could you donate it to the park? Bamboo splitting allows a root ball to be planted and grow, which can then be managed and used for feed at the correct size.

If you can help, think how great it would feel to know that you are contributing to the provision of food for the endearing Red Pandas. Then whenever you visited the park, you could head down to the Red Panda enclosure and watch Charu and Mei Li possible enjoying some of your very own bamboo!

News and Star: A red panda lounging on a branch A red panda lounging on a branch (Image: Lake District Wildlife Park)