Baby red panda dies due to 'stress caused by fireworks,' renewing calls to ban their public sale

LONDON -- A baby red panda has died due to "stress caused by fireworks" after choking on her own vomit just five days after her mother died, according to an animal rights group, leading to calls for tighter restrictions on the public sale of fireworks.

Veterinary experts at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland announced on Wednesday that a 3-month-old panda named Roxie died "due to stress caused by fireworks being let off across the city centre."

"Roxie had recently lost her mum Ginger but was responding well to specialist care from our expert team and was feeding independently. Very sadly, she choked on her vomit on bonfire night and our vets believe this was probably a reaction to fireworks," said deputy chief executive of RZSS, Ben Supple. "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."

The United Kingdom had been celebrating Guy Fawkes Night -- or Bonfire Night -- on Nov. 5, an annual celebration involving bonfires and fireworks displays to commemorate the failure of a plot planned by a group of dissident Catholics to assassinate the Protestant king at the time, James I, and blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605.

In the aftermath of Roxie's death, a public petition calling for tighter restrictions on the use of fireworks -- signed by more than a million people -- was delivered to the U.K. government last week, RZSS said.

"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. "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."

In August, Edinburgh became the first Scottish area to ban the use of fireworks in certain parts of the city around Bonfire Night in August, with control zones running from Nov. 1 to 10, meaning anyone igniting private fireworks displays could be criminally charged.

RZSS, however, think the restrictions don't go far enough and are urging the public to contact their local government officials to get a wider ban passed, something that Supple says will do more to protect animals.

"This would help avoid devastating consequences for animals like Roxie while ensuring that people can still enjoy traditional celebrations," Supple said.