Recently, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling received two red pandas from the Netherlands. 

About Red Pandas( Ailurus fulgens)

• Species Variety:  
  • Giant Pandas and Red Pandas.
• State Animal: Red Panda is the state animal of Sikkim.
• Subspecies in India:
  • Himalayan Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens).
  • Chinese Red Panda (Ailurus styani).
    • The Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh geographically separates these two subspecies.
• Diet: Primarily herbivorous, bamboo makes up the majority of their diet. They also supplement their diet with fruits, insects, and eggs.
• Shy and  solitary animals :Red pandas are primarily solitary animals, coming together only for mating and raising young.
• Role: Serve as an indicator species for ecological changes.
  • They help to disperse seeds as they move through the forest, and their diet of bamboo can help to control the growth of this fast-growing plant. 
  • They are also an important prey species for larger predators such as snow leopards.
• Feature: 
  • Color: Their most striking feature is their reddish-brown fur, which helps them blend in with their forest environment. 
    • Long, bushy tails help in maintaining balance and provide warmth in winter.
  • Arboreal: They are excellent climbers, spending much of their time in trees. 

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

• Distribution: Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal.
  • Approximately 50% of their habitat lies in the Eastern Himalayas.
• Threats: Habitat loss due to the decline of nesting trees and bamboo in the Eastern Himalayas.
• Protection Status
  • IUCN Red List: Endangered.
  • CITES: Appendix I.
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I.

About Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNZP)

• Location: Darjeeling, West Bengal, India.
• Specialization: Breeding animals adapted to alpine conditions, with successful programs for species such as snow leopards, Himalayan wolves, and red pandas.
• PNZP plays a pivotal role in red panda conservation and breeding efforts in India.
• • It houses a Biobanking and Genetic Resource Facility for preserving gametes, tissues, and DNA of endangered species.
  • It initiated a program to release 20 red pandas into the wild within five years.
  • The releases are set to occur in Singalila National Park , the highest national park in West Bengal located on Singalila Ridge in Darjeeling.