Red Panda Passage

ABOUT THE Red Panda Passage

This immersive exhibit, which opened to the public on May 14, 2025, brings guests face-to-face with red pandas in a space inspired by the forests of Asia. Visitors step through a Chinese-inspired moon gate and into a lush environment filled with live plants, climbing structures, and overhead walkways that let the red pandas roam, climb, and explore like never before.

This $2.5 million project was made possible thanks to the generosity of our community and donors. The exhibit is named in honor of Virginia R. Bartak, a dedicated supporter whose gift helped bring the vision to life.

Key features of the habitat include:

• Three interconnected outdoor yards designed for natural movement and social groupings.

• A climate-controlled indoor dayroom with solar tubes to simulate natural light.

• A one-of-a-kind overhead walkway that lets red pandas travel freely between areas.

• Purposeful verticality in every space—outdoor areas reach up to 16 feet, and even indoor spaces are built to encourage climbing.

• Natural substrate throughout, including inside the dayroom.

• Enclosed tops to protect from local birds of prey and specialized HVAC systems that allow for customized climate control.

Designed with red panda wellbeing and animal care staff in mind, the exhibit also features:

• On-site facilities for animal care, including exam areas, prep counters, and digital note-taking tools.

• Observational cameras for unobtrusive monitoring.

Thanks to the new layout and thoughtful design, Zoo Boise can now care for multiple red panda families in different life stages, making it a critical space for both care and conservation. Whether they’re exploring bamboo thickets, crossing an overhead bridge, or enjoying a quiet nap, the red pandas in this exhibit are free to thrive.

This isn’t just a new habitat—it’s a promise to red pandas and to our guests: that every visit to Zoo Boise supports meaningful conservation, world-class care, and a deeper connection to wildlife.

Red panda Conservation

Red pandas are listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). At Zoo Boise, conservation is at the heart of everything we do—and red pandas are no exception.

Thanks to our guests, Zoo Boise has raised more than $130,000 for red panda conservation efforts through our partnership with the Red Panda Network, a leading nonprofit working to protect red pandas and their habitats in the Himalayas.

Zoo Boise’s involvement goes beyond funding. The new Virginia R. Bartak Red Panda Passage was carefully designed to support the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan, which helps maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population of red pandas in human care.

Every visit to Zoo Boise—every ticket, every event, every donation—helps protect animals in the wild. When you support Zoo Boise, you’re joining a global movement to ensure these extraordinary animals have a future.

Learn more about our conservation work HERE.

Meet Our red pandas

Zoo Boise is currently home to four red pandas, with space designed to welcome even more in the future as part of ongoing conservation and species survival efforts.