Baby red panda 'dies of fright' on Bonfire Night as tragedy sparks calls to ban fireworks

Roxie, a three-month-old baby red panda, died at Edinburgh Zoo due to stress caused by fireworks being let off in the city centre on Bonfire Night, veterinary experts believe

A baby red panda tragically died at a zoo on Bonfire Night, sparking calls to ban noisy fireworks.

Three-month-old kit Roxie died due to stress caused by fireworks being let off across Edinburgh city centre, veterinary experts believe. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has now called for tighter restrictions on fireworks, following the tragedy at Edinburgh Zoo.

Ben Supple, RZSS deputy chief executive, said: "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."

A public petition calling for tighter restrictions on the use of fireworks and signed by more than a million people was delivered to the UK Government last week. "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," said Mr Supple.

"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."

The wildlife conservation charity is calling on people to contact their local MP and MSP to support the petition delivered to the UK Government earlier this month. Yesterday, we reported that a beloved horse was put down after a firework display which his devastated owner believes led to his death.

Annamaria Shepherd is now urging officials to tighten firework regulations to prevent future heartache. Her horse, 24-year-old George, was startled by the fireworks show near his home in Waunfawr, Gwynedd last week.

It is understood the vet diagnosed stress-induced colic, but despite all efforts, George had to be euthanised, leaving Annamaria to mourn her cherished companion. Annamaria had found George, a retired competition horse, in distress in his paddock in Waunfawr, a rural village near Eryri National Park (Snowdonia).

Annamaria recounted: "I held his head. I talked to him before he went, saying how much I loved him and how I would never forget him. I don't have children, so he was my family and now he's gone. People need to realise the consequences of their actions – I lost my beautiful boy just because someone wanted 20 minutes of sparkle and bangs. It's not right. The government needs to take action because this is happening all too often."