WildView™

October 20, 2025

Red Pandas in Residence

- as seen by -

Sonia Durante

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I love photographing wildlife, but I can’t always get to places in the wild. Where better for a New Yorker to find animals than at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Central Park Zoo?

On a summer afternoon, I did my typical rounds of the zoo in the middle of the bustling city. As always, I made sure to visit the western red pandas (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) in their lovely and spacious habitat. I took a group of shots of these New York City residents. The last photo taken was the one above. I was able to photograph the red panda as it emerged from its resting spot and into the sunlight. The contrast with the dark background brings out the beautiful rusty red tones in its fur, which highlight the unique features of this exquisite creature.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This photo was chosen as the top submission for Wild View’s At the Zoo assignment. Congratulations!

Nikon D7500 with Nikkor 70-300mm Lens

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