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.
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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.
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- 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.
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