A Sojourn to Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is the zoo, located on the heart of the Darjeeling Town. Located at an altitude of 2133.5 meters above mean sea level, the wonderful national park encompasses the mesmerizing Kanchenjunga in the backdrop. Established on 14th August in the year 1958, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is supervised directly by the Department of Education of the State. It is revered as one of the chief spot for the study and conservation of Himalayan Fauna.
The first Director of the park Mr. Dilip Kumar Dey was also the founder of this well admired national park. Mr. Dey, who belonged to the Indian Forest Service was deputed to make thorough research on Himalayan flora and fauna and to set up a park, where one can accomplish a thorough study on natural resources, with special reference to Darjeeling. The Park’s prized possessions were a pair of Siberian (Ussuri) tigers. They are presented to the then Government of India by Soviet Premier Nikita Khruschev in 1960.
In due course, Shrimati Indira Gandhi dedicated the zoo to Shrimati Padmaja Naidu on 21st November 1975. Shrimati Padmaja Naidu was the Governor of West Bengal (1956-1967) and the daughter of legendary nationalist leader, orator, poet known as the Nightingale of India. Since then the zoo came to be called Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park.
Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park is the breeding ground for those particular species of animals, which are adapted to alpine conditions. Such wide variety of species helps in the captive breeding of the Snow Leopard and Red Panda. Encompassing a wide area of forty-four hectares, the zoo is the peaceful abode of several endangered species like snow leopards, red pandas, Siberian tigers, gorals (mountain goat) and a variety of birds, which are on the verge of extension. The zoo is spread over an area of 44 hectares and attracts around 300,000 visitors every year.
Therefore, do visit the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park if you have plans to visit Darjeeling in near future.
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