Plan envisages better facilities for visitors to Bannerghatta park

Plan envisages better facilities for visitors to Bannerghatta park; zoo to be expanded

The Hindu

Rs. 20-crore project likely to improve biological park to international standards

# Features of plan Upgraded parking lot
# More bus services from Bangalore
# More refreshment stalls
# Children's park


Bangalore: The Bannerghatta National Park, the piece of wilderness in the backyard of Bangalore, is set to expand and improve facilities for visitors.

Now designated a biological park in view of the biodiversity in terms of plant and animal life, it has a zoo area of about 40 acres, with a mini zoo, bird enclosures and lion and tiger safari parks. The zoo will be expanded to 100 acres. The entire park area, mostly forested hills, is spread across 1,800 acres. These forests spread across the border into Tamil Nadu and have wandering elephant herds and other animals.

The Zoo Authority of Karnataka, with financial assistance from the Union Department of Biotechnology, plans to spend Rs. 20 crore to bring the biological park to international standards. Inputs for the upgrade plans are known to have come from an internationally reputed expert in zoo design and management, Bernard Harrison, who is based in Singapore.

He has emphasised the scientific aspects of the needs of animals in captivity, including physical dimensions of enclosures in the area open to visitors. The master plan for the development of the wildlife park, now being finalised, will have to consider aspects such as the fact that only 33 per cent of enclosures should be visible to visitors. The remaining area should be landscaped to provide privacy for animals in near-natural settings. This will also help in captive breeding of a few rarer species.

Nearly 20,000 people visit the park on weekends and holidays. The animal enclosures were found to be in need of expansion so that such large numbers of visitors can view them at close quarters. For example, the elephant enclosures, which now measure 100 m by 100 m, may have to be enlarged to two acres to conform to international standards.

The consulting agency of Mr. Harrison is a pioneer in planning night safaris within a zoo environment, where visitors can view nocturnal animals such as panthers under controlled conditions. A night safari will be a first for Bannerghatta; larger national parks such as Bandipur permit night safaris for small groups with licensed guides in limited areas under their jurisdiction.

For visitors, there will be an upgraded parking lot, possibly more bus services from the city on holidays, an entry plaza, more refreshment stalls, covered gazebos for resting or a picnic lunch, and a children's park. The first phase of the upgrade work, estimated to cost Rs. 10 crore, awaits the Government's approval.