SILIGURI: Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling will receive a pair of Siberian tigers from Pafos zoo in Cyprus in an animal exchange programme. The Darjeeling zoo will send two red pandas in exchange, said zoo officials.
State forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick said the pair of tigers will arrive by the end of November. “Darjeeling zoo is getting a pair of Siberian tigers in an exchange programme by November end,” he said.
Darjeeling zoo director Basavraj Holeyachi said the process is on for acquiring the animals. “We are waiting for the health reports. After which, we will acquire a pair of Siberian tigers in exchange for a pair of red pandas. At present, we have two royal Bengal tigers at the Darjeeling zoo,” Holeyachi said.
According to the authorities, Samrat and Tiger two (T2) are the two tigers currently at Darjeeling zoo. Samrat is a 16-year-old male while T2 is a three-year-old male who was brought from Bengal Safari: North Bengal Wild Animal Park in Salugara last November.
Darjeeling zoo, internationally recognized for its conservation and breeding programmes for red panda, has 25 of the animals, of which nine are male. Other attractions at the zoo include snow leopards, Tibetan wolves, markhor, mishmi takin and Himalayan black bears.
The forest minister also said Bengal Safari will get 10 more buses and added that steps will be taken to curb poaching in the area. “There are proposals to set up scanners in Alipurduar and between Siliguri and Jalpaiguri” to scan vehicles to curb poaching activities,” he said.
State forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick said the pair of tigers will arrive by the end of November. “Darjeeling zoo is getting a pair of Siberian tigers in an exchange programme by November end,” he said.
Darjeeling zoo director Basavraj Holeyachi said the process is on for acquiring the animals. “We are waiting for the health reports. After which, we will acquire a pair of Siberian tigers in exchange for a pair of red pandas. At present, we have two royal Bengal tigers at the Darjeeling zoo,” Holeyachi said.
According to the authorities, Samrat and Tiger two (T2) are the two tigers currently at Darjeeling zoo. Samrat is a 16-year-old male while T2 is a three-year-old male who was brought from Bengal Safari: North Bengal Wild Animal Park in Salugara last November.
Darjeeling zoo, internationally recognized for its conservation and breeding programmes for red panda, has 25 of the animals, of which nine are male. Other attractions at the zoo include snow leopards, Tibetan wolves, markhor, mishmi takin and Himalayan black bears.
The forest minister also said Bengal Safari will get 10 more buses and added that steps will be taken to curb poaching in the area. “There are proposals to set up scanners in Alipurduar and between Siliguri and Jalpaiguri” to scan vehicles to curb poaching activities,” he said.
