WILDLIFE : NEW TOWN MINI ZOO TO HOST LIONS AND TIGERS SAYS WEST BENGAL FOREST MINISTER JYOTIPRIYA MALLICK

BY AMRAPALI CHAKRABORTY

KOLKATA, 29 JULY 2023:

The  ‘HARINALAYA’ Mini Zoo located in New Town, which has been  inaugurated by state chief minister Mamata Banerjee in the month of February this year  will be a host of six tigers and six lions, informs, West Bengal Forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick at the state assembly.

Already the New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) has alooted and handed over 2.8 acres of fresh land to the Harinalaya Mini Zoo Authority for expansion as per the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority.

Already there are several species of  deer, snakes, zebra, giraffes and several species of birds like Macaw, Cockatiels etc  in the Harinalaya Mini Zoo. The entry fee to the Mini Zoo is Rs.30 and it remains open from 10 AM to 5 PM.

There are also plans to introduce leopards, Himalayan Black bears in Harinalaya Mini Zoo in New Town  in future.

24 hour surveillance cameras are also fitted in strategic locations throughout the mini zoo.

Talking to The Travel and Tourism Times, Mr. Jyotipriya Mallick said that the half dozen members of the King of the Jungles of Africa will be brought from Congo, Tanzania and Masai Mara forests through animal exchange programmee.

Special tress are being planted, new enclosures are also set up along with developing water bodies in the mini zoo for the animals to make them comfortable. There is also a souvenir shop for wildlife enthusiasts.

Meanwhile, the state’s pride, Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri of North Bengal is also getting revamped and already 32 hectares of land has been added.

Bengal Safari Park will also have six more lions and 12 more tigers, the forest minister informed. Spread over an area of 300 hectares Bengal Safari Park provides tourists rides in jeeps and buses inside the Park.

Two ampetheatre domes like in Science City in Kolkata will also be set up at the Bengal Safari Park where movies on wildlife and wildlife awareness programmes will be held which will further boost the adeventure tourism in the state, Mr. Jyotipriya Mallick said.