GRAND RAPIDS, MI - If John Ball Zoo visitors arrive right as it opens on March 10, and head straight to the Forest Realm at the top of the waterfall, they might catch a glimpse of the zoo's red panda, Wyatt.

Wyatt came to John Ball Zoo from the Chattanooga Zoo this past August, and Jaime Racalla, an animal care supervisor at the zoo, said he has made a great addition to their family.

"Everybody knows about Wyatt," she said. "He's just a super lovable guy."

Red pandas are solitary animals and tend to be stand-offish, Racalla said.

But she said Wyatt is definitely interested in whatever is going on. He's super easy to work with and is one of the zoo's "training superstars," Racalla said.

Red pandas are crepuscular, meaning they are most active at twilight at both the beginning and end of each day.

Wyatt's day starts with zookeepers trying to get him out before the zoo opens, when he is the most active. So if visitors are interested in seeing Wyatt up close, they'll need to be to the zoo right at 10 a.m., Racalla said.

Once he has eaten all his food and moved around his enclosure a couple times, he will usually settle in for a good nap, Racalla said. Toward the end of the day, when he knows dinner is coming, he usually becomes more active again.

When awake, Wyatt can be seen loping around his enclosure. Although red pandas are powerful climbers and can pull their whole body weight up a tree with one claw, Wyatt is not very graceful when he jumps, Racalla said.

"He just kinda plops," she said.

Wyatt is kind of an "oddball panda" and has his own unique personality.

Although its primary food is bamboo, most red pandas enjoy fruit, often used by zookeepers for training and rewards. Wyatt, however, is more of a veggie-loving panda.

He does like grapes, but otherwise prefers carrots, sweet potatoes and peppers. He does not like broccoli, Racalla said.

Although there will need to be some spring cleaning, Wyatt will not have too much of a change in his enclosure for the zoo's opening. He has been out all winter and really enjoyed the snow, Racalla said.

Red pandas live at the base of the Himalayan Mountains in the wild, so the brisk Michigan winter turning to spring will be reminiscent of his prime season.

There are less than 10,000 red pandas left in the wild and the species is critically endangered.

Its biggest threat in the wild is humans due to deforestation and illegal animal trading, Racalla said.

Although Wyatt looks soft and velvety, he actually has coarse, curly fur. And although he is super cute, Racalla said red pandas are wild animals and would not make good pets.

Racalla said if someone in Grand Rapids wants to help conservation efforts for red pandas, they should look into supporting organizations like Red Panda Network.

Wyatt has already produced offspring, with two cubs at Chattanooga Zoo. John Ball Zoo hopes to get a breeding recommendation soon so they can get a female red panda to join Wyatt in Grand Rapids, Racalla said.

Brenda Stringer, the zoo's chief development officer, say the animals miss visitors during the winter and get excited when people return to the zoo.

Racalla said there are a good portion of the animals that get excited when they see little kids, and the otters and bears are always looking for people.

The zoo will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting March 10. Admission is $8.50 for adults and $7.50 for seniors and children from opening day until April 27.

For more information about the zoo and hours and admission rates throughout the spring and summer, visit the John Ball Zoo website.