Darjeeling zoo scripts a success story: With a count of 14, it now has world’s largest number of snow leopards in captivity
- January 11, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Darjeeling zoo scripts a success story: With a count of 14, it now has world’s largest number of snow leopards in captivity
Subject : Environment
Section: Species in news
Context:
- Nearly four decades after Darjeeling zoo began a conservation breeding programme, it now has the world’s largest number of snow leopards in captivity.
- There are 14 snow leopards in total with 7 males and 7 females.
More on news:
- This announcement was made by the World Association for Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
- There are six cubs from three mothers, the highest since the launch of the breeding programme at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP), also commonly known as Darjeeling zoo.
- The conservation breeding programme for snow leopards, the first and the only in the country, was launched at Darjeeling zoo in 1985.
- The Darjeeling zoo has been the coordinating zoo for snow leopards in the country since 2007.
- Biosecurity protocols for all captive animals include:
- blow flaming of shelters twice a month,
- using virucidal spray twice a month,
- daily use of UV lights,
- daily cleaning of shelters with disinfectants,
- burning of turmeric,
- use of potassium permanganate as foot baths
- WAZA is the global alliance of regional associations, national federations, zoos and aquariums, dedicated to the care and conservation of animals and their habitats around the world.
About Snow Leopard:
- The snow leopard’s habitat range extends across the mountainous regions of 12 countries across Asia: Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.
- In India,the population of snow leopards is estimated to be between 400-600 and is distributed across the union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh and the states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
- Snow leopards live in high altitudes ranging from 3,000-4,500 meters.
- They generally prey upon species such as the Himalayan Blue Sheep, Ibex and Tahr.
- Vulnerability status of Snow Leopard:
- Vulnerable: IUCN LIST
- Appendix 1: CITES
- Schedule1: Wildlife Protection Act 1972
Conservation programmes:
- WWF had launched Third Pole GeoLab, an interactive web-based tool and database for snow leopard conservation, climate change, and water security issues in Asia’s high mountains, as part of our USAID-funded project, Conservation and Adaptation in Asia’s High Mountain Communities and Landscapes.
- The USAID-funded, $7.3 million Conservation and Adaptation in Asia’s High Mountain Landscapes and Communities project will conduct field activities in and build alliances among six of the snow leopard’s 12 range countries: Bhutan, India, Nepal, Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, and Pakistan.
- India has been part of the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme since 2013.
- Project Snow Leopard:
- The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change launched Project Snow Leopard in 2009 to promote an inclusive, participatory, and landscape-based approach to conserve Snow Leopards and their habitat in India.
- The project aims to protect and conserve the high-altitude of the Himalayan and trans-Himalayan regions to improve wildlife conservation and adopt a participatory approach that involves the local communities and other stakeholders in safeguarding the snow leopard and its habitat.
- Project Snow Leopard is being implemented in the four Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, and the two UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh
About Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park:
- This zoo was established in August 1958.
- It is the largest high-altitude zoo in the country.
- It is located in Darjeeling district of West Bengal
- It has been successful in conservation breeding of 10 animals including Red Pandas, Snow Leopards and Blue Sheep.
- The Red Panda project was started in 1990.
- The zoo has been a pioneer for conservation breeding of endangered Eastern Himalayan Species in India.
- In the year 2022, the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA) ranked PNHZ Park First in all categories among all zoos in the country.