Fireworks from Scotland’s Bonfire Night on November 5 caused a tragic incident at Edinburgh Zoo, where a young red panda named Roxie died from stress-induced complications. The three-month-old panda fatally choked on her vomit just days after her mother, Ginger, passed away, according to the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS).
RZSS Deputy Chief Executive Ben Supple explained that Roxie had been adjusting well after her mother’s death and was under specialist care, feeding independently. “Very sadly, she choked on her vomit on Bonfire Night and our vets believe this was probably a reaction to fireworks,” Supple said.
Native only to Asia, red pandas inhabit areas from the Eastern Himalayas to southwestern China. Roxie, born in July, was the fourth captive red panda at Edinburgh Zoo. The zoo welcomed a fifth red panda from Whipsnade Zoo in October, but within five days, two were lost.
Supple indicated that Ginger’s death, occurring five days before Roxie’s, may also have been influenced by the stress of nearby fireworks. Despite an Edinburgh ban on fireworks in some areas from November 1, no restrictions applied to the zoo’s location.
Although Roxie could move freely in and out of her den on November 5, the “frightening noises” proved overwhelming. That night, the BBC reported widespread disorder in Edinburgh, leading to multiple arrests for fireworks-related incidents, including attacks on emergency responders.
The RZSS now supports a petition to increase fireworks restrictions, especially on occasions like Bonfire Night, New Year’s Eve, and Diwali, to prevent animal distress.
