DARJEELING,: This Christmas, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP), popularly known as Darjeeling Zoo, unveiled a special gift for its visitors - two white tigers, now on public display.
The white tigers arrived in late November as part of an exchange program with the Nehru Zoological Park in Hyderabad, which received a pair of tigers and some pheasants from PNHZP in return.
“The tigers, brought from Hyderabad, were kept in quarantine and have now been placed on display for visitors,” said PNHZP director Basaveaj Hoelyachi.
“With the existing two Siberian tigers, which were brought in an exchange program last year, these white tigers will be an added attraction.”
The male white tiger, aged 4, and the female, aged 7, have been named Akash and Nagmani. Their distinctive white fur, caused by a lack of the pigment pheomelanin, sets them apart from Bengal tigers. White Bengal tigers grow faster and heavier than their orange counterparts, with males reaching weights of 200 to 250 kilograms and lengths of up to 3 meters.
The zoo now boasts a diverse tiger population including one Royal Bengal tiger, two Siberian tigers (Akamas and Lara) brought from Cyprus Zoo last year and the newly introduced white tigers.
Tourists expressed excitement about the new additions. “The two white tigers are a Christmas gift,” said Turmi Sarkar, a visitor from Kolkata. “It’s a rare opportunity to see white tigers alongside other unique species.”
In addition to the white tigers, PNHZP is preparing to welcome two male red pandas from the Rotterdam Zoo in the Netherlands as part of its red panda breeding program. “These red pandas will introduce a new bloodline, enhancing genetic diversity in our breeding program,” said Hoelyachi.
Known for its conservation efforts, the Darjeeling Zoo has achieved significant success in breeding endangered species such as the red panda, snow leopard and Tibetan wolf. The zoo currently houses 18 red pandas and 11 snow leopards, making it one of the leading breeding centers in the country for endangered animals.
