India’s First Frozen Zoo
- 27 Mar 2025
In News:
In a pioneering conservation step, Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling, West Bengal, has become India’s first zoo to launch a DNA cryogenic conservation project—popularly known as a “frozen zoo”.
About the DNA Cryogenic Conservation Initiative
- Objective: Preserve genetic material of endangered Himalayan species for future research, assisted reproduction, and biodiversity conservation in case of extinction threats.
- Launched in:2023, with 60 DNA samples already collected.
- Collaborators:
- PNHZP, Darjeeling
- Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad
- Species covered: Red pandas, snow leopards, Himalayan black bears, and other native animals.
- Source of Samples: Tissue collected from animals deceased in captivity or road accidents.
- Storage Method:
- DNA samples stored in liquid nitrogen at –196°C.
- A dedicated in-zoo laboratory with steel cryo-containers established.
About the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB)
- Established: 1977; full national lab status in 1981–82.
- Location: Hyderabad, Telangana.
- Affiliation: Under Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
- Recognition: Designated a “Center of Excellence” by UNESCO’s Global Molecular and Cell Biology Network.
- Mandate: Advanced research and training in frontier areas of modern biology.
About Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park
Feature Description
Location Darjeeling, West Bengal
Altitude 2,150 metres (7,050 feet) – India’s highest-altitude zoo
Area 67.8 acres
Established 14 August 1958
Renamed 1975 in memory of Padmaja Naidu, former Governor of West Bengal
Transferred to State 1993; now under Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
Focus Areas Ex-situ conservation, education, research, and captive breeding
Notable Species Red pandas, snow leopards, Himalayan wolves, gorals, Siberian tigers