Darjeeling: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has named two snow leopard cubs, born in captivity in the Darjeeling Zoo, Charming and Darling.
Banerjee, who is on an official visit to this eastern Himalaya district of Darjeeling town named the cubs while taking a morning stroll, official sources said.
She also named four Red Panda cubs - also born in captivity in the zoo - Paharia, Dream, Victory and Hilly. The Red Panda, the latter is the most elusive endangered wild animal found in Darjeeling Hills, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in India, besides Nepal.
Darjeeling Zoo or the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, is one of the leading breeding centres for endangered Himalayan species.
Snow Leopards are listed as vulnerable in the IUCN red list, and their global numbers are estimated to be fewer than 10,000.
