LONDON – Zoo officials in Scotland blamed fireworks at annual Bonfire Night celebrations for the death of a baby red panda named Roxie.

The three-month-old baby died on November 5 after choking on vomit, believed to have been caused by stress from explosions that could be heard when fireworks and bonfires were lit to mark the failed 1605 plot to mark Guy Fawkes Day. Blow up the British Parliament.

“Roxie had access to the study, but the frightening noises appear to have been too much for her,” said Ben Supple, vice president of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which owns Edinburgh Zoo. “It’s vomit on Bonfire Night and our vets believe it’s probably a reaction to the fireworks.”

A cat-sized nocturnal animal with reddish fur and a shaggy tail, the red panda is native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China.

The species, which is protected in India, Bhutan, China, Nepal and Myanmar, is threatened by habitat loss, human encroachment and poaching. Less than 10,000 remain in the wild.

Small mammals have a low chance of survival, even when born in captivity, and are especially vulnerable in their first months. Studies show that as many as 60% do not make it to their first birthday, according to the Toronto Zoo, which announced in August that one of two baby red pandas born there in June had died.

Roxie’s mother, Ginger, died five days ago, but Roxie was eating on her own and responding well to care, Supple said. He said stress from fireworks in the days between Halloween, Oct. 31, and Guy Fawkes Day may have been a contributing factor to the mother’s death.

Pet owners are aware of the danger fireworks can cause to dogs, cats, horses and other animals.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals campaigned for tighter restrictions and the zoo used the incident to call for a ban on firework sales and only light public pyrotechnic displays.

The petition to ban fireworks has been signed by more than 1 million people and was delivered to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office this month.

Disorder on Bonfire Night has caused a state of alarm in the city this year, Edinburgh police said. More than a dozen people have been arrested so far over allegations that include throwing fireworks at police officers and other anti-social behaviour.

Scottish community safety minister Siobhian Brown said this was the first year that local authorities have been able to ban the use of fireworks in certain areas. He said it was now an issue for the UK government to address.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Parliament, said current rules were not working and noisy fireworks may need to be banned.

“This is extremely sad news. These are rare and beautiful creatures,” Cole-Hamilton said. “The scenes in Edinburgh over the last few weeks have been anarchic and disturbing.”