Lincoln Park Zoo Welcomes New Red Panda for Lunar New Year

The zoo hopes the new red panda pair will have cubs, which is particularly exciting as red pandas are an endangered species.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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Lincoln Park Zoo has welcomed a new seven-year-old male red panda named Qi, who arrived from New York and will be paired with the zoo's female resident red panda, Nisha. The zoo is hopeful the pair will eventually have cubs, which would be a significant contribution to conservation efforts as red pandas are an endangered species with only an estimated 2,500 adults remaining in the wild due to deforestation in the Himalayas.

Why it matters

Red pandas are a vulnerable species threatened by habitat loss, so the potential for a successful breeding pair at Lincoln Park Zoo could help bolster conservation efforts. The arrival of Qi also aligns with the Lunar New Year, a time when red pandas are celebrated in Asian cultures.

The details

Qi has been introduced to his new habitat and habitat mate Nisha at the Pepper Family Wildlife Center. Red pandas have an extended wrist bone that helps them grasp tree branches and bamboo, which makes them well-suited for the zoo's forested enclosure. Zoo officials say Qi is already settling in and exploring his new home.

  • Qi, the new male red panda, arrived at Lincoln Park Zoo from New York.
  • Lincoln Park Zoo welcomed Qi in time for the 2026 Lunar New Year celebration.

The players

Lincoln Park Zoo

A zoo located in Chicago, Illinois that is home to a variety of animal species, including the newly arrived red panda Qi.

Qi

A seven-year-old male red panda who recently arrived at Lincoln Park Zoo from New York and has been paired with the zoo's female red panda, Nisha, in hopes they will breed and have cubs.

Nisha

The female red panda resident at Lincoln Park Zoo who has been paired with the new male red panda, Qi, in hopes they will breed and have cubs.

Cassy Kutilek

The curator at Lincoln Park Zoo who expressed excitement about the potential for Qi and Nisha to have cubs, as red pandas are an endangered species.

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What they’re saying

“Red pandas are an endangered species, so the potential for cubs from Nisha and Qi is particularly exciting.”

— Cassy Kutilek, Curator (wgntv.com)

What’s next

Zoo officials will closely monitor Qi and Nisha's interactions in the hopes they will breed and produce cubs, which would be a significant contribution to red panda conservation efforts.

The takeaway

The arrival of the new male red panda, Qi, at Lincoln Park Zoo represents an important step in the conservation of this endangered species. By pairing Qi with the zoo's female red panda, Nisha, the zoo hopes to facilitate a successful breeding that could help bolster the dwindling wild red panda population.