Edinburgh Zoo’s baby red panda has died from stress caused by fireworks on Bonfire Night, according to veterinary experts.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said three-month-old Roxie choked on her own vomit as pyrotechnics were being set off across the city.
Roxie’s mother Ginger also died unexpectedly five days earlier, and vets say they cannot rule out this also being linked to firework noise.
The zoo is now joining with animal welfare charities and other campaigners in calling for tighter restrictions on fireworks.
I think we really need to restrict the use of fireworks. I had to sedate my dogs after one went missing on Bonfire Night and I found it up the chimney (sooty is not a good look for a Westie).
We have a bunch of exclusion zones in Edinburgh where you aren’t allowed set off fireworks around bonfire night, but I’m going to guess that these are mostly in deprived areas, and not the relatively well-to-do Corstophine where the zoo is.
I don’t know Edinburgh that well but it sounds about right:
New powers banning the use of fireworks came into force in four areas of Edinburgh between 1-10 November - though this did not include the area around the zoo.
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Firework Control Zones were in force in Niddrie, Balerno, Calton Hill and Seafield - where the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home is located.
