Red pandas get Manx names to reflect island birth

The female cubs have been named Jinshar and Millish, meaning ginger and sweet in Manx

The Isle of Man's two newest red pandas have been given Manx names by the public to mark their island births.

Jinshar and Millish, meaning ginger and sweet in Manx, were born at Curraghs Wildlife Park in July but were only given names after a public appeal.

Park manager Kathleen Graham said the female cubs would eventually go to another zoo for breeding, but would always "carry that name with them".

"It just seemed quite a nice idea to give them Manx names," she added.

The cubs were born in July but only recently named after an online appeal

They are believed to be the only red pandas in captivity with Manx names, as no others are listed among the 400 animals on the global zoo database.

Ms Graham said the park's staff "come up with all sorts of ways to name the animals, but sometimes it's quite nice to ask the public".

She added that the 11-week-old cubs and mother Sara were doing well and the pair were expected to come out of their boxes on their own in the next few weeks.

Kush, the cubs' father, famously escaped from the park twice in the space of three months, but was later found in trees nearby on both occasions.