The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP), also referred to as Darjeeling Zoo, gave its guests a unique Christmas present this year: two white tigers that are currently on exhibit. As part of an exchange arrangement, the white tigers came in late November. In exchange, PNHZP gave a pair of tigers and several pheasants to the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad.
They are distinguished from Bengal tigers by their characteristic white fur, which results from a deficiency of the pigment pheomelanin. Male white Bengal tigers can grow up to three meters in length and weigh between 200 and 250 kilograms, making them larger and faster than their orange counterparts. A Royal Bengal tiger, two Siberian tigers (Akamas and Lara) imported from Cyprus Zoo last year, and the recently added white tigers are among the zoo’s diverse tiger population. Visitors were thrilled about the new features.
The Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands is bringing two male red pandas to PNHZP as part of its red panda breeding program, in addition to the white tigers. The Darjeeling Zoo, which is well-known for its conservation initiatives, has had notable success in rearing endangered species like the Tibetan wolf, snow leopard, and red panda. As one of the top breeding facilities for endangered animals in the nation, the zoo now has 18 red pandas and 11 snow leopards.
