March 26, 2026
Philadelphia Zoo/Facebook
Khumbie, the Philadelphia Zoo's last remaining red panda, has died. He was a frequent star of the zoo's social media pages, particularly around football and baseball seasons.
The Philadelphia Zoo has said goodbye to its Instagram mascot and city sports booster Khumbie.
The red panda, which frequently posed with Eagles and Phillies gear in social media posts, was 11 years old. His annual exam revealed "unexpected abnormalities" in his gallbladder, liver and abdominal lymph nodes consistent with cancer, the zoo said. Following the discovery, his veterinary care team "made the difficult and compassionate decision to humanely euthanize him."
MORE: How a dozen men broke out of Eastern State Penitentiary through a tunnel in 1945
Khumbie lived a long life for his species. The red panda, a small mammal closely related to skunks and raccoons, typically lives 8-10 years in the wild. Its lifespan is slightly longer in zoos, where the endangered species can survive up to 14 years.
Though he was born at the Erie Zoological Gardens, Khumbie spent most of his life in Philadelphia. He arrived in 2015 and fathered two cubs, Pingjing and Yeren, in 2017. The brothers eventually left for a new life at Central Coast Zoo, formerly Charles Paddock Zoo, in Atascadero, California.
Animal care specialists at the Philadelphia Zoo described Khumbie as a curious, silly animal who would do anything for his favorite snacks (grapes and apples). He picked up training quickly, they said, and sometimes woke up with his own version of bedhead — chaotically bent whiskers.
Khumbie's death leaves the city without any red pandas, as the zoo's female red panda Honey died in November from complications from anesthesia. Officials are discussing the future of the species in Philly with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan.
Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt
| @thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice
Have a news tip? Let us know.
