Two four-month-old red panda cubs are stepping into public view at Nashville Zoo, tentatively exploring their habitat along Bamboo Trail alongside their parents. The cubs, both female, were given the names Kiaria and Misa following a public naming contest, and zoo staff say the pair is just starting to get comfortable outside.
According to Nashville Zoo, the cubs are now giving guests a chance to see them out and about with their parents, Mei Mei and Moshu. The zoo also reported on WKRN News 2 that the cubs have made their way back onto the trail, giving visitors a fresh opportunity to spot the newest additions to the red panda habitat.
Don't expect a guaranteed sighting just yet, though. Zoo staff are candid about the cubs still adjusting to life outdoors. “Right now, they are still a bit nervous about coming out, so we are asking our guests to be patient as they get used to being outside,” the zoo said in its blog post.
A Naming Contest That Gave Back
The names Kiaria and Misa were chosen through a public contest that doubled as a fundraiser. The same blog post from the zoo notes the contest raised $295 this year, with all of the proceeds benefiting the Red Panda Network, an organization that works to protect wild red pandas and their habitat through education and community empowerment in Nepal.
It's a small but meaningful detail for a species facing mounting pressure in the wild, and it underscores why zoos like Nashville's lean on cubs like Kiaria and Misa to build public interest in conservation. Guests hoping to learn more directly from the people who care for the animals can also catch a keeper chat; the zoo lists a Clouded Leopard or Red Panda Keeper Chat among its regular visitor offerings, included with general admission.
Cold-Weather Creatures Settling Into Fall
Red pandas are built for chillier climates, which makes the current stretch of the year prime viewing season at the zoo. The animals are generally kept indoors once temperatures climb above 75 degrees, but cooler fall and winter conditions tend to bring them out more readily, according to WKRN's earlier reporting on the zoo's red pandas.
That cold tolerance comes down to biology. A double coat — a water-resistant outer layer paired with an insulating underside — helps the animals handle freezing conditions, functioning much like a husky's coat, Nashville Public Radio station WPLN reported in earlier coverage of the zoo's red pandas during a winter storm. That same report described keepers clearing four or five inches of snow off the animals' perches after the storm, and noted that staff try to avoid abrupt temperature swings when shifting the animals between indoor and outdoor spaces so as not to shock their systems.
It's worth noting that the zoo has featured different red panda pairs in past coverage — WPLN's winter storm reporting centered on red pandas named Bo and Mai Lee, while WKRN's wintertime feature introduced a pair named Rowan and Lilly. The dossier does not clarify how those pairs relate to Kiaria and Misa's parents, Mei Mei and Moshu, so readers should treat them as separate reporting rather than assume continuity between them.
Breeding Season Approaches Again
Red panda breeding season at the zoo typically runs from mid-December through February, with cubs usually arriving between April and June, per the earlier WKRN report on the species' habits. That timeline offers some context for why Kiaria and Misa, born earlier this year, are only now reaching an age where they're ready to wander outside with their parents.
For now, the zoo is simply asking visitors for patience. Guests planning a trip can visit during the zoo's fall-winter hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., which run from October 13, 2026 through March 11, 2027, according to the zoo's visitor information page.
