Exchange programme: Darjeeling’s PNHZP now home to Siberian, Bengal & White tigers

Darjeeling: “Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (Pnhzp) is the only zoo in India to have Siberian Tigers, Bengal Tigers and White Tigers,” said state Forest minister Birbaha Hansda.

A pair of White Tigers along with a pair of Golden jackals arrived at the Pnhzp from the Hyderabad Zoo. In lieu, the Pnhzp sent a pair of Royal Bengal Tigers and pheasants.

Incidentally, white tigers are a rare pigmentation variant of the Bengal Tigers. They are rare owing to their unique pigmentation and are found in a few zoos in India. The Pnhzp boasted only Bengal Tigers earlier.

However, Lara and Akamas, a Siberian Tiger couple, aged less than 2 years, arrived at the Pnhzp from the Pafos Zoo in Cyprus on December 10, 2023. The Pnhzp had sent a pair of red pandas to the Pafos Zoo.

“As part of an exchange programme a pair of white tigers along with a pair of Golden jackals arrived at the Pnhzp from the Hyderabad Zoo. The Pnhzp sent a pair of Bengal Tigers, a pair of Golden pheasants, Silver pheasants, Lady Amherst pheasants and Chir pheasants to the Hyderabad Zoo,” said Hansda.

Akash, the 4-year-old white tiger and Nagmani, the 7-year-old female along with the Golden jackals arrived by special ambulances by road at the Pnhzp from Hyderabad on Thursday evening. The animals were accompanied by zoo keepers and veterinarians.

They were given a lot of fluids, including electrolytes (ORS) along the way. Sher Shah, the male Bengal Tiger and C2, the female along with the pheasants had earlier left the Darjeeling Zoo for Hyderabad by road.

“The animals are in the best of health and spirits in Darjeeling. They will be kept in special enclosures in quarantine for a month before being released in the display enclosures,” stated Basavaraj Holeyachi, director, Pnhzp, talking to the Millennium Post.