The Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) of Darjeeling has been recognised as the best zoo in the country.

Calcutta’s famous Alipore Zoological Garden has come fourth.

The ranking list was released by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) during the zoo directors' conference held at Bhubaneswar in Odisha on September 10.

“It is a proud moment for us, the state, the West Bengal State Zoo Authority and the senior officers who have been supporting us continuously,” said Dr Basavaraj Holeyachi, the director of the PNHZP.

Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Chennai came second, followed by the Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens in Mysore, Karnataka.

There are around 130-odd zoos across the country classified into large and medium. The Darjeeling zoo falls under the medium zoo category but has topped across all categories.

The ranking is based on a set of parameters such as content, planning, administration and outcome of the zoo’s activities.

Sources said that that the PNHZP secured 83 per cent overall to secure the top slot.

The Darjeeling zoo, established on August 14, 1958, is internationally recognised for its conservation breeding programmes of red panda, snow leopard, Tibetan wolf, salamander and other highly endangered animal species of eastern Himalayas.

“The CZA specified 10 animals like red panda, snow leopard, Himalayan tahr, blue sheep and so on to us for the conservation program. We on our own took up the programme for another five species,” said Dr Holeyachi.

The CZA is a statutory body under the ministry of environment, forest and climate change whose prime job is to oversee the management of zoos in the country and raise them to prescribed standards.

The PNHZP started a conservation programme for snow leopards in 1983 and for red pandas in 1986 to become the pioneer in the country. Darjeeling zoo is also the first in the country to successfully release the red pandas into the wild.

“The evaluation of the zoo on various parameters is important for us as it helps us reflect and know where we stand. Everything is not perfect,” added zoo director Holeyachi.

Originally called the Himalayan Zoological Park. the Darjeeling zoo was dedicated in the memory of Padmaja Naidu, former Bengal governor, by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1975.