Lincoln Park Zoo's red panda cubs named with nod to Wrigley Field
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Two new red panda cubs have been born at the Lincoln Park Zoo, joining a long parade of exotic animals that call Chicago home.
However, the two new baby beauties - named Sheffield, a boy, and Waveland, a girl -- are very hard to find.
The red panda cubs are, surprisingly, living at the lion house in an outdoor exhibit. Visitors can see the new cubs' dad, Phoenix, who has now fathered four cubs at the zoo.
"They spend most of their time in the nest box," said Mark Kamhout, curator of mammals at the Lincoln Park Zoo. "Red panda cubs when they're born are in the nest and the mom takes care of them, spending a lot of time nursing and sleeping. Typical of kids."
PHOTOS: Red panda cubs growing quickly at Lincoln Park Zoo
Last week, the two new cubs, a male and a female, had their physical exams and the photos are a good example of why red pandas are very high on the oh-so-cute scale.
Black-and-white zoo footage is the only images of the little cubs right now. So the public must be patient if they want to see them -- or be very lucky.
"Absolute patience. Mom has occasionally taken the pandas out for a little tour of the yard," Kamhout said. "Similar to a lion mom touring her cubs and then she'll bring them back inside. So if you come to the zoo if you get really lucky you might see them now."
But all we get to see is good ol' Phoenix doing the panda stroll. Visitors can see the new cubs' older brother and sister, who are exactly a year older. They were named Clark and Addison in honor of the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field.
Red pandas are in a major league all their own.
"They are actually a unique species that is completely on its own. Not really related to any other species in evolutionary terms," Kamhout said.
The new panda cubs were also named with a nod to the Cubs.
Kamhout said Sheffield and Waveland were named by a very generous donor Sharon Zackfia, who he said is a "big Cubs fan."
Between the four of the cubs - Sheffield, Waveland, Clark and Addison -- they've got Wrigley Field surrounded.
