The death of a 3-month-old panda kit at Edinburgh Zoo has been blamed on her reaction to fireworks on Bonfire Night, prompting calls for tighter government regulation on fireworks.
The new kit Roxie, born in July, was one of the three red pandas living at the zoo.
Her mother, the eldest female red panda, died at the end of October, leaving the kit to the care of the keepers.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) reported the kit’s death on Thursday, with veterinarians linking it to stress caused by fireworks let off across the centre of Edinburgh.
“Roxie had recently lost her mum Ginger but was responding well to specialist care from our expert team and was feeding independently. Very sadly, she choked on her vomit on bonfire night and our vets believe this was probably a reaction to fireworks.
“Roxie had access to her den but the frightening noises seem to have been too much for her. We know that fireworks can cause stress to other animals in the zoo and we cannot rule out that they may have contributed to the untimely death of Roxie’s mother Ginger, just five days earlier,” said Ben Supple, RZSS deputy chief executive.
“Fireworks can cause fear and distress for pets, livestock and animals in zoos, so it is essential that the UK and Scottish governments tighten restrictions on their sale and use. We support calls from animal welfare charities to ban the sale of fireworks to the public, with only light displays being permitted at organised events.
“This would help avoid devastating consequences for animals like Roxie while ensuring that people can still enjoy traditional celebrations,” said Supple.
Commenting on the death of the panda kit at Edinburgh Zoo, a Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear of the death of Roxie the panda and our thoughts are with the team who cared for her at Edinburgh Zoo. We endeavour to keep pets and the public safe and that’s why we launched a new fireworks safety campaign this season to help people use them safely and appropriately.”
Legislation and Restrictions
Under current legislation, it is illegal to set off fireworks between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., except on New Year’s Eve, Diwali, Chinese New Year, and Nov. 5, when the cut off is midnight.People can only buy fireworks from registered sellers for private use in the days leading up to traditional festivals. At other times, the law allows purchase of fireworks from licensed shops.
The Fireworks Regulations Act 2004 limits the noise from fireworks to 120 decibels, but campaigners want to see this reduced to 97.
The petition, welcomed by the RZSS, Dogs Trust and Redwings Horse Sanctuary, also called for a clear indication of noise levels on packaging and licensing for all public displays.
The RZSS urged the public to contact their local MP and MSP to support the petition.
The call comes amid the enforcement of control zones, which ban the use of fireworks in local areas, for the first time this year across Edinburgh over the Bonfire Night period.
The Scottish government said that public concern about the misuse of fireworks and anti-social behaviour involving fireworks has led to the decision to set up control zones.
However, the British Fireworks Association (BFA), which represents the majority of manufacturers and importers of consumer fireworks, has warned that the push for control zones could exacerbate the problem.
“Greater restrictions will lead to a thriving black market for fireworks, making enforcement even more difficult.
The association’s advice on firework use says that people should notify their neighbours in advance, especially if they are elderly or have pets or children.
