Tiger safari from next month

BIRESWAR BANERJEE, TT, Siliguri, Dec.12: The state forest department will launch a tiger safari at the Bengal Safari Park on the outskirts of Siliguri next month and is also planning to expand the South Khairbari Leopard Rescue Centre in Alipurduar and introduce a leopard safari there.

Binoy Krishna Burman, the state forest minister, today said chief minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the tiger safari next month.

The department is also planning to expand the leopard rescue centre atSouth Khairbariin Alipurduar district and introduce a leopard safari at the site, the minister said.

"We will shortly bring two Royal Bengal tigers to the park. The chief minister will visit northBengalnext month and during her trip, she will inaugurate the tiger safari," Burman said.

A senior forester said two tigers - a male and a female - had already been brought from Nandankanan in Odisha.

"The tigers are presently at Alipore Zoo in Calcutta and soon will be transferred to the park. We will bring the tigers by the end of this month at the park so that the animals can acclimatise with the environment and the enclosure built for them there," the forester said.

While elaborating on the plans on South Khairbari, the forest minister said the leopard rescue centre was located over an area of five acres.

"We will add another 15 acres of the forest to the centre and are planning to start a leopard safari at the site. It would be a major attraction for tourists visiting the Dooars and also for the local people," Burman said.

In this regard, a meeting would be held at the Khairbari on December 18, Burman added.

At present, there are seven leopards at the Khairbari Rescue Centre.