Siliguri's Bengal Safari can now keep exotic animals

SANKHA GHOSH, SNS, Siliguri, 28 May 2022:  Bengal Safari: North Bengal Wild Animal Park, which houses indigenous animals, can now keep exotic animals too.

The technical committee of the West Bengal Zoo Authority (WBZA) has last week given its consent to the park to keep such animals, according to park authorities, who added that this will attract more visitors.

"We had sent a proposal to the WBZA, that along with the indigenous animals, exotic animals can be kept here to make it more attractive, because we have observed that the foot fall in the park has gone up as we now have new attractions like kangaroos and primates, along with adventure sports activities. The technical committee of the WBZA has given its approval to our proposal. We can add the safari of exotic animals too," said the director of the park,

Dawa Sangmu Sherpa.

The park authorities will prepare a masterplan and send it to the Central Zoo Authority, a statutory body of the ministry of environment, forest and climate change, and to the WBZA, about keeping animals like hippopotamus, zebra and giraffe too.

In Bengal, the Alipore zoo in Kolkata keeps most of the exotic animals.

Officials said more than 70,000 visitors had turned up at the park between Match and. It has earned more than Rs 1 crore in revenue during that period. According to Ms Sherpa, they were hopeful about keeping the two rescued kangaraoos in the park following the development. The joeyes- a male and female--have been kept at the park since their rescue on 1 April. Four rare species of primates rescued from a passenger bus at Maynaguri in Jalpaiguri district on 10 May have also created interest among the visitors. The female monkeys have been named as Zuri, Tony and Citra and the male one is Ola.

The WBZA will provide funds for the infrastructure development of the exotic animal safari, it is learnt.

Meanwhile, the park has introduced adventure sports like the zipline ride and a Burma bridge on 15 April.

The park authorities are planning to set up an artificial rock climbing facility too.

The park, which remains a major crowd puller, is spread across 297 hectare of land, and houses animals and birds native to the region.

Butterfly garden

A butterfly park is likely to be inaugurated in the park next month. "The park will impart knowledge, play an important role in the study and research. We have started rearing and planting the host and nectar plants," Ms Sherpa said.