Red Panda Cubs Born in Sikkim After 7 Years And They’re More Than Just Adorable
Feature image courtesy: hzpsikkim
After a seven-year wait filled with challenges and hope, Sikkim finally has cause to celebrate: two adorable red panda cubs have been born at the Himalayan Zoological Park (HZP) in Bulbuley near Gangtok. The arrival of these youngsters on 15 June 2025 to parents Lucky‑II and Mirak marks a pivotal moment in the park’s conservation journey. However, the birth was announced on 1 August 2025.
A comeback story
This isn’t just another birth, it’s the result of years of persistence and expertise. The Red Panda Conservation Breeding Programme at HZP began in 1997 with two pioneers: Preeti from Rotterdam Zoo and Jugal from Darjeeling’s Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP).
This is the first litter born to Lucky‑II and Mirak, marking a milestone in the genetic lineage of red pandas at the Park. Image courtesy: hzpsikkim
The programme faced a long drought in successful births, mainly due to two devastating outbreaks of canine distemper that nearly wiped out the captive stock. But this new litter brings much‑needed hope.
A legacy of conservation in India
India has had notable success with red panda breeding even before Sikkim’s recent breakthrough.
The PNHZP in Darjeeling has been a cornerstone of conservation since the early 1990s. After bringing in pandas from Rotterdam, Madrid, and other international zoos, Darjeeling saw its first planned birth in 1994. It later expanded to include releases into Singalila National Park starting from 2003. The zoo even earned recognition as India’s coordinating hub for red panda breeding under the Central Zoo Authority in 2007, with Sikkim’s HZP joining the initiative soon after.
More recently, Darjeeling Zoo has gone a step further by creating a “frozen zoo”— a biobank to preserve DNA of endangered species, including red pandas. These samples may be used in future assisted reproduction programs like IVF or embryo transfer.
What makes this birth so special?
This is the first litter born to Lucky‑II and Mirak, marking an important milestone in the genetic lineage of red pandas at the Himalayan Zoological Park. Their pairing was carefully planned as part of the conservation breeding programme, and the success of this match adds valuable diversity to the captive population.
In an unusual and heartening development, the male red panda, Mirak, was observed helping with nest-building. It is a rare behaviour in the species, as males typically do not participate in nesting or cub-rearing activities.
The cubs will be raised away from public view in the initial months. This is a crucial step to ensure their safety, reduce stress, and allow for proper bonding with the mother in a quiet, undisturbed environment.
Red panda cubs usually stay with their mother for over a year. They reach their full body size by around 12 months of age and become sexually mature by 18 months, making this early stage of development vital for their long-term health and survival.
Why it matters
The red panda Ailurus fulgens is listed as Endangered under the IUCN and protected under Schedule I of India’s Wildlife Protection Act. Fewer than 10,000 exist in the wild, living in fragmented Himalayan habitats from Sikkim to Arunachal and West Bengal. Their survival is threatened by habitat loss, poaching, disease, and climate change.
By achieving this new birth, HZP affirms that conservation backed by science, genetic planning, and unwavering care works — not only for Sikkim but for the entire Eastern Himalaya region.
This is the story of HZP’s staff working day in and day out through disease outbreaks that nearly flattened the programme, to taking care of these animals and proving that animal conservation efforts are real and happen collectively.
News