Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoo’s Red Panda Program Selected as Finalist for 2024 WAZA Conservation Award

Red Panda Conservation Breeding and Augmentation Programme of Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling has been shortlisted as one of the top three finalists by World Association of Zoos and Aquariums for the 2024 WAZA Conservation & Environmental Sustainability Awards. Winner will be announced at 79^th WAZA Annual Conference at Tarongo Zoo, Sydney, Australia on 7^th Nov 2024. Between 2022 and 2024, nine captive-bred red pandas (seven females and two males) were released into Singalila National Park (SNP) in West Bengal. Of the seven released females, three gave birth to five cubs in wild.

PNHZP, in collaboration with the Wildlife Wing of the Government of West Bengal, has undertaken several habitat restoration initiatives in Singalila National Park and Darjeeling division. PNHZP is taking several in-house and collaborative research works related to Red Panda with institutions like CCMB, IISER and WII.

PNHZP’s conservation efforts are further strengthened by its Biobanking and Genetic Resource Facility, wherein gametes, tissues, and DNA of Red Pandas and other endangered species will be preserved for future use.

These initiatives will be further continued in future for long term augmentation and conservation of Red Pandas in their natural habitat.