Gangtok, Sikkim – August 2, 2025:In a significant boost to red panda conservation efforts, two red panda cubs have been born at the Himalayan Zoological Park (HZP) in Bulbuley, near Gangtok, marking the first successful birth at the facility in seven years.
The cubs were born to red pandas Lucky (II) and Mirak—their first litter together—signaling a hopeful milestone in the zoo’s long-standing conservation breeding programme. The zoo issued a statement on Friday highlighting the importance of this birth, particularly following a difficult period marked by two major outbreaks of canine distemper, which had severely impacted the captive red panda population.
Launched in 1997, the HZP Red Panda Conservation Breeding Programme began with Preeti, a female red panda from Rotterdam Zoo, and Jugal from the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling. Their successful offspring laid the foundation for a stable genetic lineage. In 2005, the programme was strengthened further with the introduction of wild-origin red pandas Lucky and Ram, which helped diversify and expand the gene pool.
All red pandas bred under this programme are tracked using both national and international studbooks, ensuring genetic diversity and maintaining alignment with global conservation efforts.
Red pandas generally breed between November and January. Following a gestation period of approximately five months, births typically occur from June to August, in concealed, warm nests. Interestingly, both Lucky (II) and Mirak were observed participating in nest-building—a rare behavior for males—although cub-rearing is carried out solely by the mother, who teaches the cubs essential survival skills like climbing and foraging.
The statement also warned that red panda cubs are extremely vulnerable in their early days, and any disturbance—whether by predators or human interference—can lead to abandonment.
The recent birth is seen as a revival for the red panda programme in Sikkim, and conservationists are hopeful that this signals the start of a new chapter in protecting the endangered species.