Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: News on Air
Context: The Red Panda Program of Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has been selected as a finalist for the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Conservation Award 2024.
About Red Panda
• Diet: Primarily herbivorous, consuming bamboo, berries, acorns, and occasionally small mammals.
• Behavior: Shy, solitary, and arboreal; uses its bushy tail for balance and warmth in winter.
• Habitat: Lives in the mountainous forests of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal, with nearly 50% of its habitat in the Eastern Himalayas.
• Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Endangered CITES: Appendix I Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (India): Schedule I
• IUCN Red List: Endangered
• CITES: Appendix I
• Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (India): Schedule I
• Threats: Habitat loss due to deforestation and decline in bamboo forests are major threats to red panda populations.
About Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park:
• Location: Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.
• Established: 1958; situated at an elevation of 7,000 feet (2,134 m).
• Size: 67.56 acres (27.3 hectares), making it the largest high-altitude zoo in India.
• Specialization: Focuses on breeding animals adapted to alpine conditions, with successful programs for species like snow leopards, Himalayan wolves, and red pandas.
• Conservation Efforts: Plays a central role in India’s red panda conservation and breeding efforts. Houses a Biobanking and Genetic Resource Facility to preserve gametes, tissues, and DNA of endangered species.
• Plays a central role in India’s red panda conservation and breeding efforts.
• Houses a Biobanking and Genetic Resource Facility to preserve gametes, tissues, and DNA of endangered species.
• Recognition: Attracts around 300,000 visitors annually and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
• Legacy: Named after Padmaja Naidu, the daughter of Sarojini Naidu, in recognition of her contributions to Indian society.
Insta links:
• Red panda