The Curraghs Wildlife Park has given a very special welcome to its newest arrival, and he’s travelled a long way to get there.

Staff at the park are saying ‘hola’ to Malik, a red panda who has made the journey from Madrid Zoo to Ballaugh.

Malik is already settling in well alongside the park’s resident female red panda, Sara.

The pair have been brought together as part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria conservation breeding programme, with Sara becoming Malik’s very first partner.

At nearly two years old, Malik is much younger than Sara, who is almost nine, but staff at Curraghs say age is only a number in the red panda world.

The EAZA conservation breeding programme is a collaborative initiative among European zoos and aquariums aimed at managing and conserving animal populations.

On a Facebook post introducing Malik, Curraghs said: ‘Some of you may remember that last year one of Sara’s daughters, Milly, moved to Cotswold Wildlife Park to join a breeding pair there.

‘Meanwhile, Jinny - who is still here at the Curraghs - has now received a future recommendation from the EEP (EAZA Ex-situ Programme) to move to Poland. For now, though, she’s staying put, which means we currently have three red pandas here at the park!’

Red panda breeding season takes place between December and February for the most part, which means cubs often arrive in June and July.

Curraghs staff are keeping their fingers crossed the relationship between Malik and Sara blossoms and 2027 welcomes the arrival of a cub.

The team at the wildlife park host the ‘Panda experience’ which enables visitors to get up close and personal to the pandas.

Experiences start from £60 for up to two people and include access into the park.

Wildlife park members are eligible for discount.