Snow leopard gives birth to cub at Darjeeling zoological park

The number of snow leopards at Darjeeling's Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park has risen to 13.

Speaking to ANI, Director of Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Dharmdeo Rai said, "Today morning, a snow leopard gave birth to a cub. Both mother and cub are fine and doing well."

"The total number of snow leopards at the park now stands 13", Rai said.

Earlier in October 2020, Union Minister of State for Environment Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo has said that the Government of India has been conserving snow leopard and its habitat through the Project Snow Leopard (PSL). The PSL was launched in 2009.

Speaking at the International Snow Leopard Day 2020 through a virtual meeting, Supriyo had said that the Government is committed to landscape restoration for snow leopard habitat conservation and implementing participatory landscape-based management plans involving local stakeholders.

India is also party to the Global Snow Leopard and Ecosystem Protection (GSLEP) Programme since 2013.