“Rusty,” the red panda who famously escaped from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and made it to an Adams Morgan yard, has died at the age of 10, the zoo confirmed Friday.
The red panda had been living at a facility in Colorado and recently became lethargic. He died last week.
The Pueblo Zoo is part of the Red Panda network that works to preserve the rare animals.
A spokesperson for the Pueblo Zoo told The Hill that Rusty was part of their Species Survival Plan and successfully mated with a female red panda, Priya, before his death. Their two babies, the female Momo and male Mogwa, were born in August 2021.
Pueblo Zoo spokeswoman Sandy Morrison said that the zookeepers and guests were “deeply saddened by his unexpected passing.”
The cause of death is unknown.
“We are lucky to not have had any escape issues with him. He was a typical independent red panda, but formed bonds with several of our Keepers who worked with him on a regular basis. Most days he could be found curled up on a branch or simply people watching while he chomped on his bamboo,” she told The Hill.