EDMONTON — A nine-week-old red panda has died at Edmonton's Valley Zoo.

"This is a sad and unusual situation," said Dr. Milton Ness, veterinarian at the zoo. "I had completed a physical exam on the cub the day prior and she appeared to be thriving."

A post-mortem examination of Snickers found that a blood clot had extended into the cub's left and right lungs, said Mary Lou Reeleder, City of Edmonton spokeswoman.

The panda stopped breathing Thursday and could not be revived.

The young panda and her twin brother, born July 5 at the zoo to an overly aggressive mother who could not care for them, were being hand-raised by an animal health technologist.

They receive around-the-clock care, said Reeleder.

The zoo is home to six red pandas which are part of the international Species Survival Plan, she said.

An international red panda expert said the zoo should not be blamed for the death.

"(The death) would fall under what I'd call a freaky occurrence," said Sarah Glass, curator of red pandas at the Knoxville, Tenn. zoo and co-ordinator of the red panda Species Survival Plan for North America.

"My guess is it would be a congenital issue," based on the sudden onset of illness, she said.

Young red pandas have an almost 100% survival rate if they live past 30 days.

Pneumonia is a more common cause of death in captive red pandas, also known as fire foxes, but wouldn't have caused such a massive blood clot.

"It wouldn't be related to husbandry in any way," said Glass. "I know the Valley Zoo has done a wonderful job. I feel bad for them."

Snickers' loss will be felt right across the world. There are only dozens of the same sub species in North America, and the entire red panda species is considered endangered.

"Every individual really counts," said Glass.

Zoos are breeding red pandas to create a genetic reservoir so the furry mammals can be replaced if they die off in the wild.

Red pandas represent the true panda bloodline compared to giant pandas, even though they resemble racoons more than bears, said Glass.

richard.liebrecht@sunmedia.ca