Sha-Lei, a red panda born in at the Edmonton Valley Zoo in 2009 seen here September 2010.Sha-Lei, a red panda born in at the Edmonton Valley Zoo in 2009 seen here September 2010. (CBC)

Sha-Lei, Edmonton Valley Zoo's prize red panda, is moving to Wisconsin in an effort to save the threatened species.

The 18-month-old female will fly to Henry Vilas Zoo in Wisconsin Wednesday.

“Sha-Lei is a genetic gem because she is the offspring of red pandas from Japan, making her genetically different – special in fact – from other red pandas in North America" said Sandy Helliker, an Animal Health Technologist at Edmonton Valley Zoo, who hand-raised Sha-Lei from birth.

The zoo joined the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan for red pandas in 2004 when Sha-Lei’s parents arrived in Edmonton from Japan.

Sha-Lei was born in June 2009. Her future was mapped out shortly after. In August 2009, it was decided she would move to Wisconsin once she was old enough to breed.

She will be paired with a male red panda from the Cincinnati Zoo.

The Edmonton Valley Zoo still has five red pandas, including Sha-Lei’s parents.