Second Campus by Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park

Darjeeling : Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is about to set up a second campus at Kurseong’s Deer Park, 38km away.

With the number of animals for the conservation breeding programme on the rise — the Himalayan tahr, blue sheep and salamander, among others, have joined the red panda, snow leopard and Tibetan wolf — the authorities feel more space is needed for the successful implementation of the project.

A blueprint to develop the infrastructure in Kurseong is being chalked out. Though the Bengal government has sent positive feelers, a formal approval will be sought soon. Permission will also have to be taken from the Central Zoo Authority, which does not recognise the Deer Park at Dow Hill. “Hopefully we can start by December end,” said A.K. Jha, the director of the zoo. The project cost will be worked out only after the formal nod from the state government.

“Grey peacock, blood pheasant, Himalayan monal and satyr tragopan are also part of the project. Their breeding will take place in Kurseong (unlike the Himalayan tahr, blue sheep and salamander),” said Jha.

The purpose of conservation breeding is not only to increase the number of animals, but also enhance their genetic pool by avoiding inter-breeding. Since the zoo here does not have blood pheasants and satyr tragopans, the authorities have sought permission to capture some from the wild or bring them from other zoos.

For the blue sheep, a memorandum of understanding is likely to be signed soon between India and Japan so that at least four animals, which are also found in China and the Tibetan Plateau, can be brought from there.

In May this year, the ministry of environment and forests approved conservation breeding for 58 animals. Padmaja Naidu is part of this project.

Source: The Telegraph