‘Great news’: Two snow leopards born in captivity at Darjeeling Zoo

Darjeeling: The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling continues having the largest captive population of “ghost of the mountains,” with two snow leopard cubs born in captivity. At present, there are 13 snow leopards at the PNHZP. The cubs are being housed at Tobgay Danra, the off-display breeding centre of the PNHZP near Ghoom.

“The two cubs were born a month ago to ‘Rare’ (female) and ‘Namka’ (male). The cubs are in the best of health and spirit. Special care is being taken of them,” stated Basavaraj Holeyachi, Director, Pnhzp, while talking to

Millennium Post. Incidentally ‘Rare’ a captive bred snow leopard was given the name by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in 2011. At present, there are 4 males, 7 females and two cubs at the PNHZP.

“The birth of two snow leopard cubs is great news from the PNHZP. We will request Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to give them names. With the birth of the two cubs, the Darjeeling Zoo continues to be the zoo with the largest number of captive snow leopard population in the world,” stated Birbaha Hansda, state Forest minister.

In January 2024, The World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in a social media post had stated: “Presently, the PNHZP has the largest captive population of snow leopards in the world.” WAZA has lauded the Darjeeling zoo for successfully breeding snow leopards for the past 30 years.

Snow leopards reside in the high rugged mountains of Central and South Asia.

They are so elusive that it has earned them the title “ghost of the mountain.” The WAZA post stated that Snow Leopards are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, with an estimated population of between 4,000 and 7,500 individuals remaining in the wild. “The Snow Leopard Breeding Programme at the PNHZP is the only breeding programme of the species in Southeast Asia. A total of 77 births have been recorded in the park, including six cubs born this year, which is the highest number of surviving births since the programme’s inception,” stated the WAZA post.

The PNHZP is the pioneer zoo in India to have initiated the captive breeding programme of snow leopards.