New Red Panda Named at SF Zoo

Published 2014-05-12

San Francisco Zoo is thrilled to announce the name of its newest, and perhaps cutest, resident: Tenzing, after the famed Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, who scaled Mount Everest in 1953 with Sir Edmund Hillary. What a fitting moniker for an animal that carries a message of conservation! On May 7, at a special ceremony for Guardian-level families, the panda's name was announced by Zoo Emeritus Board member and Bay Area philanthropist Barry Lipman and his wife Marie. Lipman won the naming rights with a $31,000 bid at the Zoo's annual fundraising gala, ZooFest, on April 25. "I wanted to help the Zoo in carrying out its goals of conservation and education," said Lipman. "By choosing Tenzing, I hope to bring about inquiry and interest in the Himalayas, its animals, its people, and the conquest of Mt. Everest."

Also on hand for the naming and big reveal was Pete Nelson, the star of the Animal Planet show Treehouse Masters. After watching the show in early spring, Fisher Family Children's Zoo Assistant Curator Eric Krussman invited Nelson and his crew to design and build an exhibit called the Red Panda Treehouse, which they completed and filmed at the Zoo during two days in March. "I couldn't believe when I got the call from the San Francisco Zoo," said Nelson. "It's not every day I get to build a treehouse for a panda, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity for my first four-legged client."

The Red Panda Treehouse features special enhancements—like natural wood climbing ladders, a shaded treehouse perch, and plenty of bamboo on which to graze throughout the day—designed to ensure the health and comfort for this species, which is native to the eastern Himalayas and western China. "I'm so happy with the way it turned out," said Nelson. "I hope he likes it!" The Treehouse Masters show featuring the Zoo is scheduled to air on June 6 for the show's 1.3 million viewers.

Born at the Sacramento Zoo, this 10-month-old male red panda is approximately the size of a raccoon. Visitors are sure to be struck by Tenzing's extreme cuteness, which is emphasized even more by his outgoing personality, which is unusual for this normally solitary and shy species. "We are thrilled to welcome this charming animal to our Zoo family," said Tanya Peterson, President and Executive Director of the San Francisco Zoological Society. "We hope that its presence here raises awareness about its vulnerable status as a species and helps our visitors connect with nature."