Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Gangtok: Himalayan Zoological Park in Bulbuley recorded the birth of five surviving red panda cubs this season. The births mark a comeback for the park's Red Panda Conservation Breeding Program. The program, which started back in 1997, suffered a blow between 2012 and 2017 when canine distemper killed 12 breeding animals. The park also lacked a breeding male for seven long years.
Recovery arrived in 2022 with the addition of a new pair and three wild-origin red pandas. Breeding resumed in 2023. This year, three pairs produced cubs across June and July. Lucky-2 gave birth to two cubs sired by Mirak on June 30. Kimo Reep delivered two cubs sired by Dokhbu on July 9. Songru Pundi also delivered two cubs by Dokhbu on July 23.
Six cubs were initially recorded. Heavy rain caused Songru Pundi to move her litter frequently, resulting in the death of one cub. Five survived. Zoo staff monitor all newborns for three months, as this window holds the highest risk for death. Zoo authorities said, "Human intervention is restricted to essential health checks carried out by veterinary and animal-keeping teams."
The zoo also logged other successes. Thomchung, a zoo-born Himalayan black bear, produced two cubs in April. The total bear population now sits at six. Additionally, four Himalayan goral offspring were born following the release of six males into the wild last November. The red panda remains the state animal of Sikkim and holds an endangered status on the IUCN Red List.
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