Two Siberian tigers set to arrive for Darjeeling Zoo from Cyprus today

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 8 Dec 2023, Darjeeling: The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (Pnhzp) is all set to welcome two Siberian tigers from the Pafos Zoo in Cyprus. The two felines are scheduled to land at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport in Kolkata on Saturday from Cyprus via Dubai. 

In exchange, the two Red Pandas from the Pnhzp are all scheduled to reach Cyprus on Saturday too. “A team from the Pnhzp, including veterinarians, have reached Kolkata with the two Red Pandas from Darjeeling. They are reported to be in good health and spirit. They are scheduled to board the flight for Cyprus later on Friday night,” stated Basavaraj Holeyachi, Director, Pnhzp while talking to Millennium Post. 

The same team from the Pnhzp will then return to Darjeeling with the Siberian tigers that will be transported in special ambulances. “All necessary preparations have been made at the Pnhzp. The two tigers will be kept in quarantine for a month in non-display special enclosures at the Pnhzp” added the Director. 

The male and female tigers coming from the Pafos Zoo in Cyprus are one-and-a-half years old. 

Earlier, the Pnhzp used to have Siberian tigers. However, it has been years since the last of the tigers died of old age and since then the zoo has been devoid of Siberian tigers. The animals that have been sent to the Pafos Zoo from Pnhzp, in exchange, include a six-year-old male Red Panda and a two-year-old female Panda Red Panda. The Red Pandas have been bred in the Darjeeling Zoo. 

Founded in 1958, the Pnhzp was adjudged the best zoo in the country across all categories in September 2022. The 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. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/two-siberian-tigers-set-to-arrive-for-darjeeling-zoo-from-cyprus-today-543499