Species-saving love: Sachi the red panda finally finds romance at Winnipeg zoo

The mood is set with an artful array of bamboo and a light seasoning of allspice. Sachi, the small and beautiful red panda, looks across the branch at male panda and suitor Tango.

The relationship between these two is more than just a fuzzy feel-good Valentine's Day story; they carry the hopes ofan endangered species that faces threats from deforestation and illegal poaching.

"There are zoos literally around the world, internationally, trying to get red pandas to breed. We don't know exactly what it is that we do different, but they do seem to breed well here and every single one counts," said Bianca Johnson, a zookeeper at Toucan Ridge, the Assiniboine Park Zoo enclosure where the red pandaslive.

• Eat your heart out, Picasso: Red pandas get artsy at Assiniboine Park Zoo
• Rare red pandas born in Winnipeg

Sachi the red panda finally finds romance at Winnipeg zoo

8 years ago

Duration 0:51

The relationship between these two is more than just a fuzzy feel-good Valentine's Day story; they carry the hopes of an endangered species that faces threats from deforestation and illegal poaching.The red panda population in their eastern Himalayan natural habitat has declined more than 50 per cent over the last three generations and deforestation and illegal hunting are expected to make the situation much worse, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says.

The animals arebred in captivity worldwide as part of the Species Survival Program, which works with zoos to help maintain the populations and genetic diversity of at-risk animals.

It's a tricky endeavour for zoos to create the right environment for red panda love.

"There are not a lot of these guys being born in captivity," Johnson said.

The last male panda that zookeepers at Assiniboine Park Zoo matched Sachi with was just not right. The chosen partner seemed to be afraid of Sachi, the zookeepers said.

Tango is different, though. The male red panda was brought from Edmonton Valley Zoo just for Sachi. Tango is larger than Sachi, calm, and they like different foods, so there are no worries about fights over apples and pears.

Sachi is only in heat for three days a year, so Tango has to play the cards right to help repopulate the endangered species.

Sachi's genetics are really desired in the zoo world, Johnson said, so a lot of effort has been put into making the panda's love life successful, and it's paid off with some of the most successful red panda breeding in the world.

"We aren't really sure what we do," said Jessica Sjonnesen, another zookeeper at Toucan Ridge.

"It could possibly be because our climate is really close to their climate in the wild. It's a little bit cooler temperatures; they really do like the snow, so maybe that has something to do with it. Other than that, we are not really sure. They just choose to breed here."

Rumours of cubs

The zookeepers might see their efforts as panda Bachelorette producers pay off. Rumours have been swirling that Tango and Sachi have shared more than bamboo.

If they have been breeding,baby red pandas could make an entrance at the zoo in spring or summer, Sjonnesen said.

"They've been getting along very well," she said with a smile.

If the red panda pair do have offspring, the little pandas will eventually be taken to different zoos around the world to find their own love.

Tango and Sachi will breed at least a few more times before the zoo separates them to maintain genetic diversity.

"If we can breed these pandas in captivity and keep promoting the captive population, it actually helps their wild counterparts," Sjonnesen said.

"Hopefully, eventually way far, far in the futurewe can start considering protecting their habitat and releasing them in the wild."

Good fur counts

Slightly larger than a cat, Sachi walks around the panda enclosure showing off thick fur, completely unaware of the hopes and dreams the zookeepers have in the blossoming flirtation. Sachi uses a long bushy tail to balance and check out Tango.

Valentine's Day may mean chocolates, candy or flowers outside the zoo, but inside, Tango doesn't have to work that hard.

"If you are the dominant male in the area at the right time and she's receptive, you get your shot," Johnson said.

"That's pretty much it. There is no special display like a bird. As long as his fur is good, he looks happy, he looks healthy, then she will usually accept."

Red pandas: What you need to know