Darjeeling, Dec 13: After nearly 16 years, Siberian tigers have been re-introduced at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling, West Bengal. The Zoological Park welcomed two Siberian tigers from Pafos Zoo of Cyprus on Saturday (December 9, 2023), last week.

The two felines landed at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport in Kolkata on Saturday from Cyprus via Dubai. The male and female tigers are one-and-a-half years old.

They are part of an animal exchange programme under which two Red Pandas from the PNHZP have been sent for Cyprus on Saturday itself. The Red Pandas sent to Pafos Zoo are six years (male) and two years old (female). They were bred at the PNHZP.

With male and female Siberian tigers, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park will try for captive breeding in the zoo, said Basavaraj Holeyachi, the Director of the Zoological park. He also informed that the tigers were brought in special ambulances and will be kept in quarantine for a month in non-display special enclosures at the park.

The PNHZP has experience in taking care of Siberian tigers, with the last one dying in 2007. It even sent the large cats to Nainital Zoo, where the last of them in India died in November 2011 due to age-related problems. Since then, India had been without a Siberian tiger.

Founded in 1958, the PNHZP was adjudged the best zoo in the country across all categories in September 2022. PNHZP is successfully engaged in the conservation breeding of 10 endangered species, including Red Panda, Snow Leopard, Blue Sheep, Himalayan Tahr, Himalayan Wolf, Salamander, Monal, Blood Pheasants, Satire Tragopan and Grey Peacock Pheasant.

The PNHZP is the coordinating zoo for the conservation breeding of endangered red pandas. At present the zoo has 9 male and 15 female red pandas

Upon learning of the arrival of tigers in the part, a tourist said, “We like Darjeeling Zoo and we heard that 2 Tigers were brought out here but they are in quarantine… when we come to Darjeeling next time, we will definitely come to Zoo to see the Tiger.”

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