Red Panda Rusty: Endangered Species Found and Rescued Near National Zoo (Video)

A red panda that went missing from the Smithsonian's National Zoo was found early this afternoon nearby the facility. 

Zoo staff said they noticed he was missing around 8 a.m. on Monday when they started searching in trees of the zoo habitat for Rusty, the panda.

"Red pandas typically spend the warm daytime hours resting, so it's likely Rusty is somewhere in or near the zoo hiding in a tree," the zoo's Twitter feed said. Officials were very concerned at the time, as they believed he was either ill and hiding or had been stolen.

According to USA Today, the panda will be 1 year old in July and is a new addition to the National Zoo, according to the zoo's website.

Rusty came to the National Zoo from the Lincoln Children's Zoo in Nebraska, and was recently released into the red panda exhibit on the zoo's Asia Trail in early June.

Officials hope that one day in the future, he will be able to mate with the National Zoo's resident Panda, Shama.

"The introduction between Rusty and Shama went smoothly, just as keepers expected. Rusty approached Shama curiously and Shama postured so Rusty would know she was in charge," zoo officials said earlier this month. "On the second day keepers saw the pair sharing space and even spied Shama grooming Rusty."

Unfortunately, red pandas are an endangered species, according to National Geographic, with fewer than 10,000 adult pandas remaining in the world.

However, according to ABC News, Rusty was fortunately spotted in a local neighborhood not far from the zoo in some bushes and is now safely back at home after a thorough checkup. 

You're one lucky panda, Rusty. 

Want to see Rusty in action? Check out this video. Just click here.