(WWJ) The word "adorable" doesn't quite do her justice.
Baby red panda Scarlet has made her first public appearance at the Detroit Zoo following her birth this past July.
She lives in the Holtzman Wildlife Foundation Red Panda Forest with mother, Ash.
“It’s really exciting to see Scarlet learn from Ash how to be a red panda. This involves a lot of dramatic tree climbing maneuvers,” said Scott Carter, chief life sciences officer for the Detroit Zoological Society.
Scarlet is the 25th red panda born at the Detroit Zoo since 1999.
“Ash is doing so well with Scarlet; she is very attentive and always waits for her to follow,” said Carter.
Red pandas are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is estimated that fewer than 10,000 red pandas remain in the wild and their numbers are decreasing due to habitat loss, poaching and illegal pet trade.
The Holtzman Wildlife Foundation Red Panda Forest features more than 14,000 square feet of naturalistic space with a flowing stream and waterfall, an arboreal pathway through the habitat, misting areas to cool the red pandas in the summer, land for exploration and a variety of nesting places.
The Detroit Zoo, in Royal Oak, remains open during the pandemic -- with mask required and other health and safety measures in place. With crowd sizes limited, guests are urged to make reservations and tickets ahead of time at detroitzoo.org.