Snow Leopard Breeding Centre

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India /West Bengal /Darjeeling /Darjeeling

Sight Address : Snow Leopard Breeding Centre, Jawahar Parbat, Darjeeling, West Bengal.Edit

Detail InformationEdit

Snow Leopard Breeding Centre is a place where Snow Leopards are breed in the natural surroundings. This is an initiative taken by wildlife conservation movement under the governance of Kiran Matkan. The number of Snow Leopard was decreasing tremendously, because in their normal habitats the cubs were either eaten by the other wild animals or they die because of some disease, the snow leopard breeding centre is built which is similar to the normal habitat but the breeding is done under captivity so as to give full protection and increase the number of Leopards. The visitors can see them here; snow Leopard is caged in big cages. The rules of centre are very strict; the visitors are not allowed to make noise. Snow Leopard is one of the rare species and it was close to extinct, one thing more Snow Leopards is not known to breed under captive environment, being a wild and dangerous, dangerous and shy animal but the efforts of Kiran Matkan made this thing possible with the help of wildlife conservation program. The Snow Leopard Breeding Centre is devoted to the snow leopard breeding program. Snow leopards are one of the endangered species. Efforts are on worldwide to make endangered species breed under captivity, and Snow Leopard Breeding Centre is one such effort. Snow leopards are not known to breed under captivity; Kiran Maktan, however, made it possible. These snow leopards are kept in large enclosures, and visitors are allowed to watch them. Complete silence is a must while inside the Centre. Darjeeling plays host to two of the world’s rarest animals, the Himalayan Red Panda and the elusive Snow Leopard. Due to their decreasing numbers efforts are being made world over in breeding of Snow Leopard in captivity, but none of effort has been successful. It is in India only that with great efforts of Sh. Kiran Maktan, who has devoted his life in breeding program of snow leopards, it has been made possible in this Snow Leopard Breeding Centre.

Snow leopard cubs

HistoryEdit

The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling is dedicated to conservation of Wildlife. It started work on captive breeding project of this rare species in the year 1983. It was selected as an ideal site for this captive breeding project. Experts Dr. Ingo Rieger and D. Walzthoeny inspected the site in July 1983 and gave their approval. The site selected for off display conservation breeding centrer of Snow leopard is the North – Western corner of the Jawahar Parbat (Birch Hill) at a latitude of 27º and longitude 88ºE. Altitude is 6900 ft. a little above the Lebong Cart Road within the compound wall of the Zoological Park, opposite St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling.
This was the first instance of an Asian Zoo participating in the Snow leopard Master plan which was conceptualized by Mrs. Helen Freeman, President of the International Snow leopard Trust and was also species coordinator of the “Species Survival Plan” for Snow leopards. A pair of unrelated Snow leopard was flown to Darjeeling Zoo from Zurich Zoo via London and New Delhi on 21st March 1986. These beautiful specimens were “Kashi”, the female and “Vishna” the male. The female was born on 26th August 1983 in the Zurich Zoo. The male was born on 23rd June 1978 in Helsinki Zoo.
Another pair (Hank and Persia) came to Darjeeling Zoo from U. S. Zoo on 16th January 1989. The male “Hank” was born at Littlerock on June 6th, 1985 and female “Persia” at San Antonio on April 23rd 1980. The pair gave birth to two female cubs on May 20th, 1989. This was the first successful breeding of Snow Leopards in Darjeeling Zoo. “Quizil” (male, d.o.b. – May 23, 1990, Zurich), “Quila” (female, d.o.b. – May 23 1990, Zurich) and “Quetta” (female, d.o.b. – May 23, 1990, Zurich) were later added to the collection of the Zoological Park on January 28, 1992 to induce new blood and continue planned breeding programme at Darjeeling Zoo.
Another male ” Tyson” – d.o.b. – August 8, 1995 from Hunbstand arrived at Darjeeling on January 27, 2000 for the same purpose. Two wild / rescued females “Neeta and Meeta” from Leh – Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir were also air lifted to Darjeeling by Charted Plane of Ministry of Defence on May 17, 2000, again to continue with the breeding project. “Meeta” unfortunately died within few days of its arrival.
In the last twenty years there are in total 46 births of Snow leopards in captivity in the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling. The Snow leopard Breeding Project at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling is one of the most successful and only breeding programme of the species in South East Asia.
All the record keeping of programme and animals is not only done in Darjeeling Zoo, but is also recorded with the International Stud Book Keeper of the species at Helsinki. Steady research and studies are also being undertaken so that this very special and sensitive project can become a model for other such Conservation Breeding Project in suitable locales. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in 2003 had 18 Snow leopards (9 males and 9 females), one of the largest captive population, in a single zoo, in the World and a record of the the zoos. As on May, 2006, there were 12 Snow leopards (6 males and 6 females.)
Next step taken was to have at least 4 -5 stable captive populations of Snow leopards at different high altitude zoos in the country, before any release / stocking in the wild can be contemplated. In 2004, a pair each of Snow leopards was sent from Darjeeling Zoo to Gangtok, Nainital and Shimla Zoos to start subsidiary Snow leopard breeding centrers in these Himalayan Zoos. The Project received inspiration from a host of officials, non officials, and Institutions and Staff of the P.N.H. Z. Park, Darjeeling.

Must SeeEdit

Popular

Visiting TimeEdit

8:00 a.m. till 4:00 p.m

Closed OnEdit

N.A.

Best Season to VisitEdit

Winter (December to January)
Spring (February to March)
Summer (April to June)
Autumn (September to November)

Best Time To VisitEdit

Morning , Afternoon .

Time Required for SightseeingEdit

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Ticket Required : No Edit

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Individual Foreigner Adult Rs. : N.A.

Kids Rs. : N.A.

Still Photo Camera Rs. : N.A.

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Guide Required : No Edit

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Restaurants NearbyAdd / Edit

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How to ReachEdit

Taxi : Intra-city transport is mostly by hired taxis. The private taxis or cars are essentially of two types – small cars like Maruti Vans or Santros, and large ones like Scorpio, Tata Sumo etc. While you can always take a private taxi/car from outside the station or airport, negotiate the rates and move for Darjeeling, it is always advisable to take one from the Pre-Paid taxi counters located inside the station and the airport.

Bus : You will get buses only from the Tenzing Norgay Central Bus Terminus located on Hill Cart Road in Siliguri. It is about 8kms from NJP station. The usual route is by Hill Cart Road and the travel duration is about 4 hours. Bus fare from Siliguri to Darjeeling Via Hill Cart Road: Rs. 50.00 per person Bus fare from Siliguri to Darjeeling Via Mongpu: Rs. 80.00 per person. The Mongpu route is taken in case the Hill Cart Road is closed. After getting down at the bus stop, you can take an auto-rickshaw, or hire a taxi to reach the destination within the city.

Train : New Jalpaiguri is the nearest major railway station. New Jalpaiguri is well connected to major Indian cities, especially Kolkata. The diesel engine hauled toy train leaves NJP station at 9am and takes about 7 hours 15 minutes to reach Darjeeling. You can also board the train from Siliguri Town Station or Siliguri Junction Station that are 5kms and 8kms away from NJP respectively. There are also toy trains available from Siliguri Junction and Darjeeling for joy rides. These are steam engine hauled toy trains. Check out Darjeeling Toy Train Services for current status and schedules.
NJP to Darjeeling (1st Class): Not operational since Sept 2010 due to track damage
NJP to Darjeeling (2nd Class): Not operational since Sept 2010 due to track damage
Darjeeling to Ghoom & back Joy Ride (First Class): Rs. 270.00 per person if booked through IRCTC website. This two hours ride includes entry fee for the DHR Museum at Ghoom.
Siliguri Junction Station to Tindharia & back Joy Ride: Rs. 496.00 per person. After getting down at the railway station, you can take an auto-rickshaw, bus or hire a taxi to reach the destination within the city.

Air : Darjeeling does not have an airstrip. The nearest airport is Bagdogra airport (IXB), near Siliguri, which is a 3-hour (approx. 90 km) drive from Darjeeling. Indian, Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines are the three major carriers that fly to Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati from Bagdogra. Indian Airlines (2254230; Chowrasta) (10am-5.30pm Mon-Sat). Pineridge Travels (2253912; pineridge@mail.com; Nehru Rd; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat) For domestic and international flight tickets. After getting down at the airport, you can take an auto-rickshaw, bus or hire a taxi to reach the destination within the city.

Others : Toy train are also available for this destination.

Things to CarryEdit

Carry bottle of drinking water.Sun-screen, sun glasses, tissue-rolls, roll of duct-tape, extra batteries, torchlight, water, energy-bars are ‘must-carry’ along with a First-aid kit.
•Medicines to carry when you are travelling to a new place or when you’re away from home town (which must be approved and prescribed by your physician or medical practitioner) are:
• Painkillers
• Anti-inflammatory
• Wide-spectrum antibiotic
• Anti-diarrhea
• Anti-constipation pills
• Mild sleeping pills – just in case you feel very overwhelmed by the altitude and atmosphere because of which you are unable to sleep.

Safety / WarningEdit

The Snow Leopards are kept in huge cages for allowing visitors to see them but absolute silence has to be maintained. Drinking Water Problem in Darjeeling