Adelaide Zoo Vets perform rare blood transfusion to save Pemba’s life
The Adelaide Zoo Animal Health Centre has performed a rare medical procedure on our eight-year-old Red Panda, Pemba, in a bid to save his life.
Pemba has been given a series of blood transfusions after he was diagnosed with anaemia, a condition which causes red blood cells to decrease in the body.
In order to perform the blood transfusion, veterinary staff had to collect blood donations from his sons, Ravi and Momo.
The procedure marks the first time a Red Panda has undergone a blood transfusion before.
Zoos SA Senior Veterinarian, Dr Ian Smith, says keepers noticed his behaviours changing, which prompted the veterinary staff to undertake a health check.
“He was becoming quieter than normal, he was a little bit wobbly when he walked,” Dr Smith said.
“It prompted us to undergo a health check which determined he had very low red blood cells.
“There’s a whole range of causes for anaemia.
“Some of the causes of anaemia are treatable, some of them aren’t, so we’re just waiting for lab results to come through.”
With fewer than ten thousand Red Pandas left in the wild, the Adelaide Zoo is keen to ensure Pemba, our breeding male, makes a full recovery.
Native to the eastern Himalayas and south-western China, the major threats facing wild populations of this species are habitat loss and fragmentation, and poaching.
The ultimate cause of these threats is the high growth rate in human populations within the species’ range and commercial logging, clearing for habitation and farming, as well as grazing of domestic stock. These issues are fundamental threats to the long-term survival of the species.
“Pemba is certainly very important for our breeding program,” Dr Smith said.
“He’s our breeding male, and I’m sure in the future we’ll have recommendations for him to breed again, so his survival is very important for the future of the species.”
Pemba is being monitored by veterinary staff and will be off exhibit while he recovers.
