Forest department's nod to safaris in Bannerghatta National Park raises eyebrows

Bengaluru: Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildife Warden, Ajai Mishra has given the go-ahead for safaris in the Bannerghatta National Park.

According to the sources, the Jungle Lodges and Resorts will manage safaris in Bannerghatta National Park, which is barely 20 km from central Bangalore. The deputy conservator of forest, BNP, has been asked to identify and create safari routes. The 260 sq km national park is known to be a habitat for tigers, leopards, bears, wild dogs, elephants, gaur, sambar and deer.

The safari is to be run on a trial basis until May 31, 2021.

However, activists question the inclusion of safaris in the national park as Bannerghatta Biological Park already has one.

The national park is mired in controversy over land encroachment.

The Karnataka Forest Department has been looking for safari options to reduce the stress on Nagarhole and Bandipur tiger reserves and it has sought to start a safari at Nugu Wildlife Sanctuary, but put the process in cold storage under a barrage of protest from wildlife activists.