Darjeeling: The Red Panda Conservation Breeding and Augmentation Programme of Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP), Darjeeling, has been shortlisted as one of the top three finalists for the 2024 World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Conservation & Environmental Sustainability Awards. The winner will be announced at the 79th WAZA Annual Conference at Taronga Zoo, Sydney, Australia, on 7th November 2024. Between 2022 and 2024, nine captive-bred red pandas (seven females and two males) were released into Singalila National Park (SNP), West Bengal. Among the released females, three successfully gave birth to five cubs in the wild.
In collaboration with the Wildlife Wing of the Government of West Bengal, PNHZP has undertaken several habitat restoration initiatives in Singalila National Park and the Darjeeling division. The zoo is also engaged in in-house and collaborative research on red pandas with institutions such as the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), and Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
PNHZP's conservation efforts have been further bolstered by its Biobanking and Genetic Resource Facility, where gametes, tissues, and DNA of red pandas and other endangered species are preserved for future use. These initiatives aim to ensure the long-term conservation and augmentation of red pandas in their natural habitat.
BI Bureau
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