Darjeeling, Oct 8: The Red Panda Conservation Breeding and Augmentation Programme at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP), Darjeeling, has been shortlisted as one of the top three contenders for the 2024 World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Conservation & Environmental Sustainability Awards. The winner will be announced at the 79th WAZA Annual Conference in Sydney, Australia, on November 7, 2024.
From 2022 to 2024, PNHZP successfully reintroduced nine captive-bred red pandas—seven females and two males—into Singalila National Park (SNP), West Bengal. Three of the released females gave birth to five cubs in the wild. In collaboration with the West Bengal Government’s Wildlife Wing, PNHZP has also undertaken significant habitat restoration efforts in SNP and Darjeeling.
The zoo is conducting ongoing research on red pandas with institutions such as CCMB, IISER, and WII, and its Biobanking and Genetic Resource Facility preserves gametes, tissues, and DNA of endangered species. These conservation initiatives will continue to support the long-term survival of red pandas in their natural habitats.