Two more snow leopard cubs born in Darjeeling Zoo

DARJEELING, :The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP), which plays an important role in conservation of snow leopard, has announced the birth of two more cubs in their captive breeding program.

The two cubs were born in the PNHZP-run Snow Leopard Conservation Breeding Centre at Tobgay Dara, near Ghoom last month.

PNHZP director Basavraj Holeyachi said, "The two cubs were born on April 13 to mother ‘Rare’ and father 'Namkha'. The cubs are healthy and special care is being taken of them."

Incidentally, the mother is also a captive born and bred snow leopard. She was born in the year 2011.

With the two cubs born, presently there are 13 snow leopards in the PNHZP. There are four male and seven female leopards along with the two cubs whose sex is yet to be determined.

Snow leopards which are listed as ‘vulnerable’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has an estimated population of between 4,000 and 6,000. The Snow Leopard Breeding Programme at the PNHZP is the only breeding programme of the species in Southeast Asia. It also has the highest number of captive snow leopards in the world.

A total of 77 births have been recorded in the PNHZP with a record number of births in the year 2023. Six cubs were born that year making it the highest in a single year since the start of the conservation and breeding program of the animals. They have been working for the conservation of snow leopards from the year 1983.

The PNHZP, which was founded in 1958, is also undergoing successful captive breeding programs of different endangered Himalayan species. Presently, breeding programs for animals like the red panda, and the Tibetan wolf is going on successfully with breeding of other species like blue sheep, Himalayan Thar, Satyr Tragopan  (crimson horned pheasant) and the Himalayan newts (salamander).