Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park:
The Red Panda Program of Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has been selected as a finalist for the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Conservation Award 2024.
- Red Panda is Primarily herbivorous, consuming bamboo, berries, acorns, and occasionally small mammals.
- Lives in the mountainous forests of Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, and Nepal, with nearly 50% of its habitat in the Eastern Himalayas.
- Conservation Status: IUCN Red List: Endangered
- CITES: Appendix I
- Wildlife Protection Act 1972 (India): Schedule I
- Threats: Habitat loss due to deforestation and decline in bamboo forests are major threats to red panda populations.