India’s largest leopard safari opens at Bannerghatta
- June 27, 2024
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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India’s largest leopard safari opens at Bannerghatta
Sub: Environment
Sec: Protected Area
Context:
- Inauguration of South India’s First and Country’s Largest Leopard Safari at Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) in Karnataka.
Details:
- A safari area of 20 hectares is demarcated and fenced as per Central Zoo Authority guidelines.
- Currently, eight leopards are released in the open forest area.
- Bannerghatta has a significant population of free-ranging leopards (Panthera pardus).
- Terrain: undulating with natural rocky outcrops and semi-deciduous forest.
- Enclosed with a 4.5-metre high vertical chain-link mesh, MS sheets at a 30° inclined angle of 1.5 metres.
- Leopard cubs rescued across the State will be raised and shifted to the safari to educate visitors about big cats and human-animal conflicts.
- Four acres within the safari are separated by a solar fence for acclimatisation.
Additional Initiatives Inaugurated by Minister Khandre at BBP:
- Renovated elephant weaning centre.
- Babycare room at the butterfly park.
- Children’s play area.
- Entrance arch.
- Flagging off of electric buggies and zoo installations.
- Naming of a male elephant calf as Swaraj.
- Release of six hamadryas baboons for public display.
Future Developments Proposed at BBP
- New naturalistic enclosures for emus and rheas costing ₹50 lakh.
- Hunting cheetah enclosure estimated at ₹1.5 crore.
- Hamadrya and olive baboon enclosure at ₹1.5 crore.
- Indian grey wolf enclosure at ₹1.5 crore.
- Development of skywalks to connect the zoo and the butterfly park.
Details of species in the news:
Species | Description |
Emus ![]() |
|
Rheas ![]() |
|
Hamadryas Baboon ![]() |
|
Olive Baboon ![]() |
|
Indian grey wolf ![]() |
|
Source: TH