David Bowie, Popular Red Panda at Cape May Zoo Passes Away

This is a sad week for workers and fans alike of the Cape May Zoo.

A popular red panda at the Cape May Zoo named after a rock star has died. The zoo announced on Thursday that David Bowie has passed away at age seven.

Popular Cape May Zoo Red Panda Dies

In a Facebook post on Thursday, the Cape May Zoo said that a necropsy -- the veterinary equivalent to an autopsy -- shows that David Bowie suffered from a condition called mesenteric torsion which causes the intestines in the animal to twist and is usually fatal with the animals dying quickly.

David Bowie Is Remembered By Zookeepers

Cape May Zoo brought in David Bowie in 2021 as a mate for the zoo's longtime red panda, Luna. But zookeepers quickly realized that Luna didn't like David Bowie and the two were usually kept apart.

Luna died last year at age 22. Cape May Zoo added another red panda, 5-year-old Aurora, in September.

When he arrived at Cape May Zoo, David Bowie's zookeepers described him as "laid-back, sweet, shy, but curious. He was eager to please during his training sessions and was a fast learner."

Thursday, the zookeepers remembered their furry friend.

"...he LOVED his craisins, was a whiz at his puzzle feeders (though he often liked to cheat by flipping them!), enjoyed climbing upside down on the exhibit fencing, and was so incredibly sweet and patient during training sessions. He also loved attention and spending time with his keepers. He will be deeply missed by our entire zoo family."

Coincidentally, January 10th is the anniversary of the death of rocker David Bowie, after whom the panda was named. January 8th was also the rock star's birthday.

Red Pandas Are Endangered Animals

Red pandas are native to the Eastern Himalayas and southwestern China, are listed as endangered. There are less than 2,500 adult red pandas left in the wild.