Two red panda babies, whose mother dined on the nutritious bamboo harvested from an Ipswich garden, have been named by their zoo’s Facebook followers.

East Anglian Daily Times: Red PandasRed Pandas (Image: Archant)

The twins, a boy and a girl, who were born at Drusillas Park, East Sussex, in June, have been named Mya and Anmar. The names reflect the high-altitude forests of Myanmar – or Burma, as it is more commonly known – where red pandas live.

Just after the cub’s birth, their mother Mulan was offered a tasty bamboo treat from Home from Home Property Management, which harvested the foliage from its Duke Street development site in Ipswich.

Company employees Ian Boots and Stewart Scott drove the freshly cut crop to the zoo to make the delivery while still at its tastiest.

Zoo manager Sue Woodgate said: “We were so grateful for the donation of bamboo from Home from Home.

“Following the birth of our two red panda babies in June, it was particularly important that their mum, Mulan maintained her strength and received plenty of nutrients while feeding her young. The bamboo we received was really fresh, just how the animals like it and arrived at just the right time. Many of our other animals were also able to benefit from the delivery including our lemurs, macaques and prairie dogs.”

The twins have now taken on the defined markings of their parents. Their fur, once pale, has deepened into the distinctive red-brown coat and both have developed the light cheeks and darker eye stripes.

Head keeper, Mark Kenward said: “Panda cubs are very playful by nature and our two are no exception. Mya and Anmar have great personalities and I suspect they will provide a great deal of entertainment once they are out and about, getting up to mischief.”