Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Zoo in Darjeeling, India
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is a zoo in Darjeeling located at 2133 meters altitude and covering 27 hectares of mountain terrain in the eastern Himalayas. Enclosures follow the natural slopes and forest sections, so snow leopards, red pandas, and mountain animals live in their familiar surroundings.
The site was opened in 1958 by the Government of West Bengal as a facility to study and protect Himalayan wildlife in the Birch Hill neighborhood. Since then, it has grown into a center for breeding programs of threatened mountain species.
The park is named after Padmaja Naidu, daughter of independence activist Sarojini Naidu, who served as Governor of West Bengal. Visitors encounter animals that have lived in Himalayan valleys for centuries and appear in local stories told by mountain communities.
The park can be slippery in wet weather, so sturdy shoes are recommended for the steep paths between enclosures. Most animals are more active in the morning when temperatures are still cool.
The facility runs successful breeding programs for snow leopards, Himalayan wolves, and red pandas that grow up in their natural climate. Several animals born here have later been relocated to other protected areas to strengthen wild populations.
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