Himalayan Zoological Park in coordinating zoo for wildlife species

Gangtok, Jul 01 : The Himalayan Zoological Park has been designated by the Central Zoo Authority as the coordinating unit for captive breeding of three Himalayan wildlife species, its additional director Gut Lepcha said today.

''The wildlife species - Blood Pheasant (State Bird of Sikkim), Himalayan Tahr and Blue Sheep, all of them endangered, - will be dealt by the park. The Darjeeling Zoological Park will be the participating zoo in this regard,'' Mr Lepcha said, while talking to reporters.

He informed that the Himalayan Zoological Park had been performing captive breeding of Red Panda since 1999.

''Three Red Panda cubs were born in captivity here, taking their total number to an impressive eleven. They were born on June 3 and June 30,'' Mr Lepcha added.

Red Panda, the state animal of Sikkim, figures in the Schedule One of the Wildlife Protection Act because of its dwindling population in both wild and captive.

''However, the Himalayan Zoological Park is currently having an abundance of Red Pandas. We have placed the animals in three separate enclosures. Two more enclosures will be developed,'' said the additional director.

The Himalayan Zoological Park, located at an altitude of 5840 ft, is spread over an area of 230 hectares of mountainous land, he said adding it currently sustained 52 different specimens of birds and animals like Red Panda and Tibetan Wolf.