- Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
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Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park 
Zoo entranceDate opened 1958[1] Location Darjeeling, West Bengal, India Land area 67.56 acres (27.3 ha)[2] Coordinates 27°03′31″N 88°15′16″E / 27.0586099°N 88.254405°ECoordinates: 27°03′31″N 88°15′16″E / 27.0586099°N 88.254405°E Number of animals 156 (2006)[3] Annual visitors 300,000 (2006)[3] Memberships CZA,[4] WAZA[5] Website pnhzp.gov.in Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (also called the Darjeeling Zoo) is a 67.56-acre (27.3 ha) zoo in the town of Darjeeling in the Indian state of West Bengal. The zoo was opened in 1958, and an average elevation of 7,000 feet (2,134 m), is the largest high altitude zoo in India. It specializes in breeding animals adapted to alpine conditions, and has successful captive breeding programs for the Snow leopard, the critically endangered Himalayan wolf and the Red panda. The zoo attracts about 300,000 visitors every year.
The park is named after Padmaja Naidu (1900–1975), the governor of West Bengal (1956–1967) and the daughter of Sarojini Naidu, the nationalist leader, poet, and orator who was sometimes called the 'Nightingale of India'.
The zoo serves as the central hub for Central Zoo Authority of India's red panda program and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Contents
History
Snow leopard enclosure
A zoo was established on August 14, 1958 in the Birch Hill neighbourhood of Darjeeling under the Department of Education of the Government of West Bengal with a goal to study and preserve Himalayan fauna. Its first Director and founder was Dilip Kumar Dey. Mr. Dey, who belonged to the Indian Forest Service was on deputation to the Department of Education for the express purpose of establishing a high-altitude zoological Park specializing mainly in Himalayan flora and fauna. The Park's prized possessions were a pair of Siberian (Ussuri) tigers presented to the Government of India by Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev in 1960. Over the years famous names in the world of Conservation have been attracted to and have visited the HZP. The zoo now contains endangered animals like snow leopards, red pandas, gorals (mountain goat), Siberian tigers and a variety of endangered birds. However, there has been concern regarding the fact that the Himalayan animals may face a threat due to rising temperatures in the hilly area.[3]
In January 1972, the park became a registered society, with an agreement that maintenance costs would be shared by the central and state governments. In May 1993, the park was transferred to the West Bengal Department of Forests.[6]
The park was renamed in 1975 when Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India, visited the park and dedicated it to the memory of Padmaja Naidu.[6]
The current Director of the Zoological Park is Shri A.K Jha, IFS.
Conservation
Red Panda in the ZooThe zoo includes an off-display breeding center for snow leopards and red pandas. Captive breeding of snow leopards was started in 1983, with Leopards which were brought to the zoo from Zurich, the United States, and Leh-Ladakh. The red panda program was started in 1994 with individuals from the Cologne Zoo, the Madrid Zoo, Belgium, and the Rotterdam Zoo. In addition to these species, the zoo is breeding the Himalayan Tahr, Blue Sheep, Himalayan Monal, Grey Peacock Pheasant, Himalayan Salamander, Blood Pheasant and Satyr Tragopan.[6]
The zoo is famous for its conservation breeding programmes of the Red Panda, Himalayan Salamander, Tibetan Wolf, and Snow Leopard.
Gallery
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Entrance
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Snow Leopard
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Snow Leopard
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Snow Leopard
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Red Panda
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Tibetan Wolf
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Tibetan Wolf
Notes
- ^ "Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park". darjeelingnews.net. Darjeeling News. http://www.darjeelingnews.net/pnhz_park.html. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
- ^ "Darjeeling Zoo". pnhzp.gov.in. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park. http://pnhzp.gov.in/Index_files/page0001.htm. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
- ^ a b c "Depleting Forests Threaten Animals in Darjeeling Zoo". indiatraveltimes.com. India Travel Times. December 2002. http://www.indiatraveltimes.com/special/dec.html. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
- ^ "Search Establishment". cza.nic.in. CZA. http://cza.nic.in/htmlreports/htmlsearchzoo.aspx. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ "Zoos and Aquariums of the World". waza.org. WAZA. http://www.waza.org/en/site/zoos-aquariums. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
- ^ a b c Roy, Barun (28 November 2008). "Promoting life – Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park". wordpress.com. The Himalayan Beacon. http://beacononline.wordpress.com/2008/11/28/essay-promoting-life-padmaja-naidu-himalayan-zoological-park/. Retrieved 20 August 2010.
External links
Media related to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park at Wikimedia CommonsZoos and aquariums in India Organizations - Central Zoo Authority of India
- Zoo Outreach Organisation
- Wildlife Institute of India
- Indian Institute of Forest Management
- South Asian Zoo Association for Regional Cooperation
Aquariums - Bangalore Aquarium
- Calcutta Aquarium
- Kankaria Aquarium
- Kollam Aquarium
- Lal Bagh Aquarium
- Marine Biological Research Station
- Marine Life Aquarium
- Matsyadarsini Aquarium
- Sanjay Gandhi jaivik udhan
- Taraporewala Aquarium
- Travancore Royal Aquarium
Zoos - Alipore Zoological Gardens
- Allen Forest Zoo
- Arignar Anna Zoological Park
- Birsa Munda Jaivik Udyan
- ChattBir Zoo
- Chennai Snake Park
- Guwahati Zoo
- Indira Gandhi Zoological Park
- Jawaharlal Nehru Biological park
- Jaipur Zoo
- Jijamata Udyaan
- Lucknow Zoo
- Madras Crocodile Bank
- Marble Palace Zoo
- Mysore Zoo
- Nandankanan zoo
- National Zoological Park
- Nehru Zoological Park
- Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
- Parassinikkadavu Snake Park
- Sakkarbaug Zoological Garden
- Sanjay Gandhi Jaivik Udyan
- Sepahijala Zoo
- Sree Venkateswara Zoo
- Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Park
- Thrissur Zoo
- Tilyar Zoo
- Thiruvananthapuram Zoo
- Pt. G.B. Pant High Altitude Zoo
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Categories:- Visitor attractions in Darjeeling
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