The recent death of a red panda kit at Edinburgh Zoo has prompted fresh calls for tighter restrictions on fireworks in the UK, after veterinary experts concluded that it was likely her death was due to stress caused by fireworks.
Three-month-old kit Roxie had recently lost her mum, Ginger, but appeared to be doing well. That changed on November 5; in the UK, this date marks Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Night, the anniversary of the unsuccessful 1605 Gunpowder Plot to blow up Parliament and kill the king.
Now, people remember it by lighting fires and setting off fireworks – which happened across Edinburgh city center last Tuesday, when Roxie was found to have choked on her own vomit.
“[O]ur vets believe this was probably a reaction to fireworks,” said Ben Supple, deputy chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), in a statement.
“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.”
Roxie had already become a well-loved resident of the zoo, particularly after her induction into the Knights of the Rotund Table, a popular TikTok series that aims to bring awareness to animal conservation.
In the wake of her death, RZSS, which owns Edinburgh Zoo, has called for tougher restrictions on fireworks.
“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,” said Supple. “This would help avoid devastating consequences for animals like Roxie while ensuring that people can still enjoy traditional celebrations.”
The appeal from the RZSS comes on the heels of a recent RSPCA-backed petition that calls for tighter regulations surrounding the use of fireworks because of the impact that they can have on animals.
“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 Supple.
The petition proposes that there should be greater restrictions on private use and the maximum permitted decibel level of fireworks, and that any public displays should require a license to take place.
It’s received over a million signatures, and as a result, is now eligible to be considered for debate in the UK Parliament – though there’s no guarantee such a debate will happen.
The British Fireworks Association, which represents manufacturers and importers of fireworks, told BBC News that while it advocated for “safe, respectful, and responsible use of fireworks”, tightening restrictions would be “misguided”.
In the US, Independence Day fireworks can often lead to similar debate, though whether or not there are restrictions to consumers generally depends on the state.
However, consumer fireworks are banned across all national wildlife refuges, national forests, and national parks. This is in large part because of the effects they can have on wildlife, with the explosions causing animals to end up where they shouldn’t be, fly into buildings, and even abandon their young.
