Knoxville Zoo's red pandas are poised to gain international acclaim with a partnership with Mozilla, creator of the popular Firefox Web browser. Firefox Live, a new Web site debuting today, gives visitors to the site the chance to become acquainted with four of the zoo's red pandas, also known as firefoxes, including the adorable five-month-old cubs. 

Dedicated to educating visitors about red pandas, the site features live Web camera broadcasts of the pandas' antics, updates on their progress and the chance to help choose names for the two female cubs. Visitors can vote on treats to reward the pandas and get behind-the-scenes details from their keepers via Twitter and the Firefox Live blog.

Knoxville Zoo ranks as one of the top two zoos in the world in the breeding of endangered red pandas. Red pandas are endangered primarily due to destruction of their native habitat, which extends from western Nepal to northern Myanmar.

The female cubs are the 97th and 98th pandas born at Knoxville Zoo, and they are currently the two most important females in the captive red panda population due to the rarity of their bloodlines. The cubs are being hand-reared by keepers due to concerns that they were being groomed too zealously by their mother shortly after birth, which resulted in skin abrasions.

"We're very proud to have been chosen as a partner for the launch of Firefox Live," says Sarah Glass, Knoxville Zoo's red panda curator who is also the coordinator for the North American Red Panda Species Survival Plan (SSP), which manages the breeding and placement of all red pandas living in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). "These pandas have enormous appeal and they are wonderful ambassadors for their species. Thanks to Mozilla, we've got an amazing opportunity to tell their story," says Glass.

Knoxville Zoo is Knoxville's largest yearround attraction. Located off exit 392A from Interstate 40, the zoo is open every day except Christmas Day. Knoxville Zoo is nationally accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is committed to the highest standards in animal care and wellbeing, ethics, conservation, and education. Currently, the zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Admission and ticket sales stop one-hour before the zoo closes. Next-day admission is free after 3 p.m. For more information, please call 865-637-5331 ext. 300 or visit www.knoxville-zoo.org.