November 18, 2016
KSBY
By KSBY Staff
The Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero is breaking ground on a new home for their fan-favorite red pandas.
Longtime Atascadero resident and animal lover Thelma Vetter sponsored the exhibit which now bears her name.
According to zoo officials, the Thelma Vetter Red Panda Exhibit will be the first new exhibit built at the zoo from the ground up in nearly 40 years.
The an interactive display will tie into the "biodiversity hotspot" theme the zoo is implementing.
The red panda is a small mammal native to the Himalayan Mountains. The zoo has had red pandas on display since 2009.
The groundbreaking ceremony kicks off at 1 p.m. Friday. To learn more about the zoo and all of its animals, click here.
