Diergaarde Blijdorp is the largest national monument in Rotterdam. With the realization of a new Himalaya area, the monumental Mountain Animal Rock is also renovated. Here the little pandas and crested deer will live together.
The new Himalaya area is decorated with planting, pavement and buildings typical of the area. Including an educational Sherpa hut. The total panda enclosure doubles in size because the current panda enclosure will also be included. The Nepalese design and attractive conservation education give visitors an insight into the habitat of the panda and the culture of the people who share the habitat with the panda. The opening of the Himalayan area is also the kick-off of the 165th anniversary of the Rotterdam Zoo.
The little panda is a key species for Blijdorp. Since the 1970s, Blijdorp has been coordinating the world studbook of the small panda that is threatened with extinction in the wild. Since then, Blijdorp has played an important role worldwide in building a genetically and demographically healthy reserve population in zoos. These small pandas can be used for scientific research related to nature conservation and serve to replenish populations in nature. Three small pandas, recently released into the wild in India, are descended from Rotterdam animals.
Rotterdam Zoo works together with the conservation organization Red Panda Network (RPN) in Nepal to protect and research the little panda in its habitat. Around the opening of the Himalaya region, conservationists from Nepal are visiting Blijdorp to further strengthen ties and exchange knowledge.
