Santa Barbara loses panda cub, sibling transferred to incubator for specialized care

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara Zoo shared sad news concerning its two-week-old panda cubs.

One of the two cubs of Ruby and Raj passed away Tuesday morning, while the second cub is now receiving specialized care in an incubator, according to the SB Zoo.

The cub's cause of death is not known, though red panda cubs carry an infant mortality of about 40%, according to the SB Zoo.

Ruby gave birth to the two cubs on July 2 as part of her first litter, the most challenging time for many cubs, according to the SB Zoo.

The SB Zoo shared that the second cub needed an intervention after improper nursing and is currently receiving around-the-clock care for its best chance to survive.

Red pandas are considered an endangered species after a 50% population drop in the past few decades, according to the SB Zoo.

More information on the cub's status will be provided on the SB Zoo website.