Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
AN ELGIN EXCLUSIVE FEATURE By Katyayini Kesharwani
This is the only specialized Zoo in the country and is internationally recognized for its conservation breeding programmes of Red Panda. – @lifeinatravel, Instagram
Inaugurated in the year 1958, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has been a major tourist attraction in Darjeeling. It was established with the purpose to preserve and study Himalayan Fauna. the Park is named after Padmaja Naidu (daughter of Sarojini Naidu), was once governor of West Bengal State. This zoo has also managed to win the prestigious award “The Earth Heroes” in the year 2014. This is an award given away by the Royal Bank of Scotland. The reason this zoo was chosen among more than 300 zoos all over the world is that it has successfully conserved and looked after Himalayan animals and also those which are of the Alpine Region. The park is popular as the breeding centre for animals that are adapted to live in alpine conditions. Different breeding programs have been successfully completed here such as The Red Panda Program and many others. The park also helps the endangered animals with captive breeding programs.
I basically don’t like zoos…because it’s a place where animals don’t live happily after all they live in cage, but I got to admit this – this zoo has one of finest collection of species in India. it’s very big and it takes fair amount of time to cover whole place. The Red Panda is the major attraction over here, along with Bengal tiger, panther, leopard, snow leopard, beer, takin, Himalayan wolf and so many other animals. – @ghoomiefoodietales, Instagram
Adjacent to the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, it is a high-altitude wildlife park and the new home for Siberian Tiger, Himalayan Black Bear, Deer, Red Panda, Snow Leopard and Birds. The Snow Leopard breeding centre was started in 1986 to breed Snow Leopards in captivity with the help of the International Snow Leopard captive breeding project.
They share their habitat with big deadly cats… so don’t dare to take them lightly. Their strength lies in their number; A pack of wolves. – @n0mad_Soul, Instagram
