Siliguri: A “Jurassic Park” of real life is taking shape in the Eastern Himalayas with the cloud, not to resurrect dinosaurs, but a final position for species on the edge. Here, between the red pandas and the leopards of the snow, science is not cloning the past, but saving what remains of the present.
Padmaja Naidu Himalaya Zoological Park In Darjeeling is the first “frozen zoo” of India, a genetic ark that preserves the DNA of Himalaya wildlife In steel tanks full of liquid nitrogen at temperatures that fall to -196 ° C.
A collaboration between the Zoo and the Center for Cellular and Molecular Biology based on Hyderabad, the cryogenic conservation initiative aims to ensure that even if these species decrease in nature, their genetic planes remain intact. “This is an effort to preserve DNA samples,” said Debal Roy, Chief of Wildlife of Bengal.
Frozen zoos are winning traction worldwide
The head of the wildlife of Bengal, Debal Roy, said: “We will collect samples of wild animals tissue. If an animal dies naturally or due to antinatural causes such as the death of the road, we have decided to take their samples of tissue and preserve them in this installation.”
Extended through 67.8 acres at an altitude of 2,150 meters (7,050 feet), the zoo is the Zoological Park with the highest altitude of India and a leader in Conservation reproduction programs For red pandas, snow leopards and tibetan wolves. He has also carried out conservation work for species such as the Markhor (goblin by the screw), the Mishmi Takin and the Black Bear of the Himalayas.
Unlike traditional zoos, where animals are exhibited for visitors, this installation has a double role: it houses live animals while depositing its genetic legacy. Frozen zoos are gaining traction worldwide, offering a last line of defense against extinction.
In Darjeeling, biological efforts began in July last year, with scientists collecting and preserving genetic material from captive animals such as red pandas, black bears of the Himalayas, snow leopards and galas.
“From now on, we have started with captive animals,” said Basavaraj Holeyachi Zoological director. “We have developed a laboratory dedicated within the zoo where we preserve the gametes and the DNA of Endangered species“
The process implies two levels of preservation: genetic sampling, which requires storage at -20 ° C and biological, where tissues must immerse themselves in liquid nitrogen at -196 ° C. Scientists prepare samples to prevent cell damage.
“The frozen zoo contains irreplaceable genetic material (living cell lines, gametes and embryos) that are vital for conservation efforts, assisted reproduction and evolutionary biology,” said Holeyachi.
In the future, the stored genetic material could be used for assisted reproduction techniques, including the possibility of using substitute mothers to relive species. “As long as there is a continuous supply of liquid nitrogen, these tissues can be stored indefinitely,” said an official. The efforts of the installation have attracted international recognition, with the World Association of Zoos and Aquarios recently presents it for its Red Panda conservation initiatives.
As the habitats shrink and climate change alters ecosystems, the frozen zoo can maintain the key to ensure that the ghostly silhouettes of the snow leopards and the playful dishes of the red pandas remain more than only echoes of the past.
