Endangered Mandrill Successfully Bred At Bengal Safari Park
In 2023, three mandrills were brought from Jamshedpur to Bengal Safari Park, which is the only place in West Bengal that houses this endangered species.
Published : January 6, 2026 at 4:42 PM IST
By Subhadeep Roy Nandi
Siliguri: Bengal Safari Park in West Bengal's Siliguri has brought a piece of good news for tourists this New Year. After tigers, lions, and Himalayan black bears, the park has achieved a remarkable success in breeding mandrill, a species listed as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Authorities said that both the mother and the infant are in good health but the newborn's gender has not yet been determined.
The Bengal Safari Park is the only place in the state to house mandrill, a large Old World monkey, native to west central Africa and one of the world's most colourful mammals with red and blue skin on its face and posterior.
The Bengal Safari Park authorities, along with the state forest department and the zoo authority, are thrilled to welcome the new member.
Notably, three mandrills were brought to Bengal Safari Park from Tata Steel Zoological Park in Jamshedpur in December 2023 under an animal exchange programme. A separate enclosure was built for the trio at Bengal Safari Park at a cost of Rs 23.54 lakh. The park officials had also taken extra care to ensure that the mandrills did not face any difficulties during winter months.
After two years, a pair of these three mandrills, Vishnu and Niyati, gave birth to a cub last week. Currently, the park authorities are keeping a close watch on them to ensure the cub does not suffer in the cold. Jute sacks and straw have been provided for it and special changes have been made in Niyati's diet to keep her warm.
State forest minister Birbaha Hansda said, "This is wonderful news for us in the new year. Along with the breeding of animals like tigers and lions, we have always focused on the conservation of endangered animals like the mandrill and have achieved success accordingly. We hope that tourists will be even more excited to see this new member."
Director of Bengal Safari Park, E Vijay Kumar, said, "Three mandrills were brought here in 2023 and we have been taking care of these animals with great affection. Mandrills are not found in any other zoo in West Bengal. We are very happy and both the mother and the baby are doing well. We are keeping a close watch on them and providing them with extra care."
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