Bengaluru: India’s largest leopard safari opens at Bannerughatta Biological Park

India’s largest and third leopard safari officially opened to the public on Wednesday at the Bannerughatta Biological Park (BBP), located on the outskirts of Bengaluru. Karnataka Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre inaugurated the safari, which has been meticulously designed to harmonize with the natural environment of Bannerughatta. Currently, eight leopards roam the new safari, with officials expecting the number to increase in the near future.

Also read: Bengaluru: JAIN students visit Bannerghatta National Park to understand use of camera traps

Situated 30 kilometers from Bengaluru, BBP is already renowned for its Lion, Tiger, Sloth Bear, and Herbivore Safaris, as part of its ex-situ conservation program. It also boasts a zoo and a rescue center, making it home to the highest concentration of carnivorous animals among Indian zoos. The new leopard safari spans 20 hectares and was developed at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore. It is secured with railway barricades and enclosed by a 4.5-meter-high chain-link mesh topped with a 4.5-meter-high flat rolled mild steel sheet at a 30-degree angle to prevent leopards from escaping.

Bannerughatta, characterized by its hillocks and dry deciduous shrub forests, provides an ideal habitat for leopards. Consequently, the region hosts a significant leopard population. The park has been hand-rearing leopard cubs abandoned in paddy and sugarcane fields, and there are currently 14 such leopards at BBP.

The inauguration of this safari marks a significant addition to BBP’s conservation efforts and offers visitors a unique opportunity to observe these magnificent creatures in a setting that mirrors their natural habitat.