‘Spunky’ endangered red panda — the ‘brightest little light’ — dies at NC zoo
A “sweet” red panda with a love for bamboo has died, a North Carolina zoo said.
“She was so spunky and was a bamboo fiend,” an advanced animal care specialist for the Greensboro Science Center wrote Aug. 15 on Facebook. “She not only shared her love with us but with every guest.”
The science center is mourning the loss of 2-year-old Miso, who had been in its care since 2023. The endangered creature is remembered as “the brightest little light.”
“We know how much she means to so many of you,” the zoo wrote in a past Facebook post. “Miso is a favorite among staff and guests alike, known for her gentle nature and sweet presence.”
Since Miso was young, she had lived with an adrenal disorder. The zoo said she was “unable to produce appropriate amounts of steroid hormones, like cortisol, that are necessary for appropriate function.”
As the zoo experimented with ways to help her, she got a medication used to treat a similar condition in dogs. But recently, Miso got sicker, leading workers to make the “difficult but compassionate decision to assist in her peaceful passing.”
“She was the strongest fighter, and she personally taught me that I should keep pushing and never give up,” the animal care specialist, identified only as Laura F., wrote on Facebook. “She will be so missed by everyone.”
Miso was a Himalayan red panda, a species found living in the wild in parts of Asia. The animals are endangered due to habitat loss, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute and the World Wildlife Fund.
The science center — which runs a zoo, aquarium and museum — said three red pandas remain in its care.
“Red pandas are not a social species by nature,” Jessica Hoffman, vice president of animal health and welfare, told McClatchy News via email. “However, Miso did live with her foster sister, Azula. We have monitored Azula’s behavior over the last few days to see if there are any noticeable effects. Azula continued to eat and behave as normal, so as far as we can tell, the loss did not seem to cause a negative response.”
This story was originally published August 19, 2025 at 2:12 PM with the headline "‘Spunky’ endangered red panda — the ‘brightest little light’ — dies at NC zoo."
