00:00At first sight, this may appear to be your typical red panda cub.
00:04He has plenty of energy, he loves to explore, and he is full of curiosity.
00:11Say hello to Oolong.
00:15Oolong is our red panda cub that we have at Binder Park Zoo.
00:18He was born about four months ago.
00:20Now, a new birth is always cause for a celebration.
00:24But unfortunately for Oolong, the celebration had to be put on hold.
00:27Oolong was about half the size of red pandas his age
00:31when the veterinarian diagnosed him with a condition known as congenital hypothyroidism.
00:37This is when an organ of the body, the thyroid, doesn't function as it should.
00:41In newborns, it can cause severe health problems, with delayed growth and development if not treated.
00:47The staff knew something needed to be done.
00:51Once we were able to diagnose that Oolong had hypothyroidism,
00:54the animal care staff team and the vet team had to step in and to feed him multiple times a
01:01day.
01:01And during that time, we also had to kind of teach him how to move around and developmentally grow as
01:06well.
01:07Oolong required hours of extra care.
01:09The staff administered treatments, they fed him a special diet consisting of newborn puppy formula,
01:15and they took plenty of time for play to encourage him to build up his muscles and sharpen his balance.
01:21With proper management, soon the little cubs started to grow in weight and size.
01:25This was a huge relief to all the staff who cared for him.
01:29And Oolong wasn't the only one to benefit from all the extra attention.
01:33Each day with Oolong is different. You never know what kind of spunky mood he's going to be in.
01:38And just being able to watch him developmentally grow.
01:41When he was first brought in with us, he had a hard time walking, just like a newborn does.
01:47So watching him learn how to become more stable has been really exciting.
01:53Whatever he lacks in size, he certainly makes up for in personality.
01:57This tiny red panda proves that no challenge is too great, especially with a little help from your friends.
