New Delhi: A red panda named Bruce at the Edinburgh Zoo recently took a trip to the dentist. The panda, it seemed, was suffering from a toothache.
Photos shared by the BBC showed the 11-year-old lying spreadeagled, tongue out as he was operated on.
The picture has since won hearts across the internet, with many finding it “cute” and “adorable”.
“Poor Bruce! Thankfully, the vets found the problem and got him back on his feet—and more importantly, back to enjoying his bamboo. Wishing this little red panda many more happy, healthy days,” posted one X user.
Bruce the loner
The Scottish zoo has been the panda’s home since 2016.
Bruce was sent to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland vets for a checkup, where doctors removed the problematic tooth. A full body checkup was then done.
After all medical formalities, Bruce was given a clean bill of health and returned to the zoo.
The red pandas, who are native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, were brought to several zoos across the United Kingdom for conservation breeding programs.
His siblings and family are spread all over the world. Earlier this year, his granddaughter Priya, a female red panda, was moved to the Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig, Scotland.
In 2024, the zoo’s baby red panda, Roxie, died due to the exhaustion and stress caused by the fireworks on Bonfire Night. Nine days after she died, Priya’s mother, Ginger, also passed away “unexpectedly” at the age of 9. Since then, Bruce has become a loner, spending his days without any other member of his species around.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, there are only 10,000 red pandas left in the world, making them an endangered species. Habitat loss, poaching and human encroachment have led to the loss of the species.
In fact, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified them as endangered.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)