Two Red Pandas to be released from Darjeeling Zoo

Encouraged by the success of 2003, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) authority of Darjeeling is planning to release more two more red pandas in the wild.

The PNHZP takes care of animals who live on the higher altitudes. The zoo is the only one in India to achieve success in captive breeding of endangered Himalayan species.
The Red Panda is a highly endangered Himalayan animal for which the Darjeeling zoo has started a captive breeding programme. The presence of red panda, Tibetan wolf, snow leopard and Siberian tiger have put put the lives of pheasants in danger. Most of the Himalayan pheasants are considered as endangered species.

The initiative of the PNHZP authorities is not new. In 2003, the zoo authorities had released four female red pandas in the Singalila National Park. “With an aim to increase the population of endangered species, we had started the plan to release them in the wild. Our first project was successful. We had monitored the pandas for one year through radio collar. Among the four female pandas, one had given birth also. Now we cannot track them because the radio callers have stopped functioning. Owing to the success of the 2003 project, we are planning to release two more male red pandas in the wild,” the director of the PNHZP, Mr AK Jha said.

“It is a lengthy process to release the captive animals in the wild. We have to train the animals, so that they can survive. If everything occurs according to plans, then we release the animals, he added. According to official report, there are 14 red pandas in the Darjeeling zoo.

Source: The Statesman