South India’s first and the country’s largest leopard safari was inaugurated by Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre on Wednesday at the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP).
As per Central Zoo Authority guidelines for safaris, an area of 20 hectares has been demarcated and fenced for the safari. Currently eight leopards have been released for the safari in the open forest area.
According to BBP officials, Bannerghatta is home to a good population of free ranging leopards (Panthera pardus), and highlighting these top predators is vital.
The facility has been created at a cost of ₹4.5 crore. The leopard safari area is made up of undulating terrain with natural rocky outcrops and semi-deciduous forest. This whole area is covered with a vertical chain-link mesh which is 4.5 metres high, and MS sheets have been placed at a 30° inclined angle of 1.5 metres.
The officials added that owing to increasing human-animal conflict in recent times, the park receives many leopard cubs rescued across the State. “These cubs will be raised and shifted to the leopard safari to help visitors learn about these big cats, the reasons for the growing human-animal conflicts, and the ways to protect the animals,” said the officials.
The officials added that four acres within the safari area have been separated, using a solar fence, to help these animals acclimatise to their new environment.
During his visit to the BBP, Mr. Khandre also inaugurated a number of initiatives, which included a renovated elephant weaning centre, a babycare room at the butterfly park, a children’s play area, an entrance arch, and he also flagged off electric buggies and zoo installations.
The Minister also named a male elephant calf Swaraj and set free six hamadryas baboons for public display.
The BBP officials said that during this financial year new naturalistic enclosures have been proposed for emus and rheas at a cost of ₹50 lakh. A hunting cheetah enclosure at an estimated cost of ₹1.5 crore; a hamadrya and olive baboon enclosure at ₹1.5 crore, and an Indian grey wolf enclosure at ₹1.5 crore have also been proposed.
Skywalks are also being developed to establish connectivity between the zoo and the butterfly park, they added.
Published - June 26, 2024 08:01 pm IST
