Kolkata | Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in West Bengal's Darjeeling has become India's first zoo to preserve DNA samples of wildlife found exclusively in snowy regions, officials said.

Chief Wildlife Warden Debal Roy told PTI on Monday that 60 DNA samples from indigenous animals have already been collected for profiling.

"Tissues from animals, including red pandas, snow leopards and other indigenous species—killed in road accidents or in captivity—have been collected to preserve their DNA," Roy said.

"We started working on the project in 2023, and it is an ongoing process," he added.

The cryogenic conservation initiative, in collaboration with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, aims to ensure that if these species face extinction, their preserved genetic material can aid in research and future conservation efforts.

Another senior zoo official said the zoo will carry on research on the rich biodiversity of the Himalayan region.

A zoo official added, "A dedicated laboratory has been set up inside the zoo, where DNA samples are stored in steel containers filled with liquid nitrogen at freezing temperatures." Spread across 67.8 acres at an altitude of 2,150 metres (7,050 feet), the zoo is India's highest-altitude zoological park.