Wasabi the red panda has new babies — and they can’t get enough cuddles, video shows

A mother red panda named Wasabi gave birth to a litter of cubs at a Michigan zoo — and they are obsessed with her.

Video shared by the John Ball Zoo shows the cubs snuggling with their mom just days after they were born on July 11.

“The cubs (although difficult to see from the video) are currently nestled in a cozy maternity den with their mother, bonding and growing stronger,” the zoo wrote in a post.

The cubs will stay in the den and out of the public eye over the next few months. Eventually, they will start to explore as they gain their independence, the zoo said.

Red pandas are native to the Eastern Himalayas in Asia and are considered endangered, according to the World Wildlife Fund. They are only slightly larger than domestic cats and have long, bushy tails that they use for balance and to wrap up in for warmth, according to the organization.

Their largest threats, the WWF says, include habitat destruction and poaching for their coats.

This story was originally published July 14, 2023 at 5:08 PM with the headline "Wasabi the red panda has new babies — and they can’t get enough cuddles, video shows."