Bengaluru: Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) is set for a major makeover, with the forest department and Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK) unveiling development works and new facilities worth Rs 38 crore Monday. The upgrades include new enclosures for cheetahs, wolves and other animals, an elephant viewing tower, a zoo shop and a café, aimed at improving visitor amenities and strengthening the park’s conservation infrastructure.Forest, environment and ecology minister Ramalinga Reddy inaugurated the facilities, marking a fresh push to position Bannerghatta as a major wildlife tourism destination on Bengaluru’s outskirts.Among the key attractions are newly developed enclosures for wolves, cheetahs, emus, rheas and pheasants, giving visitors an opportunity to see a wider range of wildlife.A dedicated viewing tower has also been opened at the Suvarna Elephant Care Centre, allowing visitors to observe the facility and learn about elephant care and conservation efforts.To improve the visitor experience, the park has added electric vehicles for internal transport, renovated its main entrance and opened a zoo shop and the Suvarnamukhi Café.The development works also include a new administrative office named ‘Adavi’, residential quarters for forest staff, a central nursery, a live-feed preparation unit and a quarantine block for animals arriving from other parts of the country and abroad.Apart from improving tourism infrastructure, the upgrades place emphasis on animal welfare and conservation. The new quarantine facility is expected to strengthen animal health management, while the live-feed unit will facilitate the preparation and supply of appropriate live feed for animals housed at the park.In a tribute to Dr Sameeksha, a veterinary officer who died while treating a hippopotamus at Shivamogga Zoo, Reddy directed officials to name the Hippopotamus Block and a baby hippopotamus ‘Sameeksha’ in her memory.The minister later undertook a safari to review wildlife conservation, animal care and management activities at the park.
