Glad tidings: Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri to get new members soon

 Dream project of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the park was inaugurated by her in 2016. It is spread over an area of 290 hectares.

Amitava Banerjee | MP  |  15 Oct 2022 | Darjeeling: Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri is all set to bring glad tidings for its visitors. Soon, the visitors will be able to see lions, sloth bear, zebras and Sangai deer (popularly known as Manipur's dancing deer) at the park. 

A dream project of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the park was inaugurated by her in 2016. It is spread over an area of 290 hectares. 

At present, the park has elephants, Royal Bengal tigers, leopards, barking deers, spotted deers, Sambars, rhinos and six gharials, a pair of Himalayan black bears, and birds. It boasts of a herbivore safari, tiger safari, leopard safari, bear safari and elephant safari. It is a major tourist attraction of this region. 

"We will be getting lions, zebras and deers soon. The number of elephants for the elephant safari will also be increased," stated West Bengal Forest minister, Jyotipriya Mallick, during a recent visit to the Park. 

The process to bring in the animals from other zoos, as part of an animal-exchange programme, has already begun. 

"For permission to get lion, zebra and other animals, we have already written to the Central Zoo Authority and hope to get their go ahead in the next two to three months. 

We have approached Zoos for the animals," stated Sourav Chowdhury, Member Secretary, State Zoo Authority. 

The sloth bear will be brought from Ranchi Zoo. Talks are on with the Hyderabad and Agra zoos for lions. Sangai deer and zebras will be brought from Alipore Zoo in Kolkata. 

The Safari Park also plans to upgrade the Aviary to a Walking Aviary, where the birds will remain in their natural habitat and the visitors will be moving through a cage. 

Recently, in the presence of the Forest Minister, four cubs of the Royal Bengal Tiger couple Sheela and Vivian, were released in the display area for the first time. The seven-month-old cubs have become the latest attraction and major crowd pullers. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/glad-tidings-bengal-safari-park-in-siliguri-to-get-new-members-soon-495974