Karnataka night safari to beat Singapore model

While Bangalore high court has cleared the state government’s night safari project in Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP), experts point that the authorities lack the expertise of other nations on this subject.

Officials have got clearance for the project as per the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and the BBP management plan.

According to Rom Whitaker, founder of Agumbe rain forest research station, the officials are being guided by Indians with no technical experience in fields, unlike in USA, Singapore and Africa.

He said the Singapore night safari zoo is a model, as the animals are not disturbed. In other zoos, infrared lights are used, due to which the animal is not tracked or disturbed.

The animals reside in natural settings. Large animals are housed in spacious enclosures in the Singapore zoo. Unlike India where noise is synonymous with crowd, at the Singapore zoo, people are discouraged from making any noise.

The managing trustee of Wildlife First, Praveen Bhargav said that in the case of Singapore, animals reside in enclosures which are close to natural settings.

Visitors see them as a part of the safari. Interestingly, in his last visit to Bangalore in September, the environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh had said no to the night safari project.

“In principle, I oppose the idea of night safari after 6.30pm-7pm. Increasingly, many state governments are writing to us (the ministry) to allow the night safari, as many professionals do not have time during the day. But my answer remains the same. This is not a good idea and we will discuss this with the CZA and the officials. I doubt whether they (state tourism minister and the government) have got CZA or central government clearance for the night safari. Night safari is acceptable till 7pm, as the animals need rest and the zoos need maintenance.’’

CZA member secretary BS Bonal said, “The project has been approved with clear guidelines that it will be open at night and nobody will be allowed to walk. Rather, the safari will be conducted in battery operated vehicles. Only nocturnal animals will be housed and the other animals will be housed in enclosures which are bigger than the ones in zoos. There will be no cages but motes and electric fences.”

The night safari is coming up in an area spread across in 1807 acres of land at an estimated cost of Rs178 crores. Tourism principal secretary K Jyothirmalingam said that the night safari is coming up in a part of BBP and not in the national park area.

He added that the project was undertaken after obtaining the CZA clearance. “The safari will start from 6.30 pm to 9 or 10pm. The number of visitors will also be restricted. They will be taken in pollution-free, noise-free battery operated vehicles. It will be better than the Singapore model as there will be more natural greenery and the lights will not be brighter than moonlight. Two experts from India  are advising in the project, aimed to be completed within 36 months,” he said.

Environmentalists argue that the night safari would affect the elephant corridor, thus affecting the pachyderms’ migratory pattern. Several forest department officials are also opposing the project.

Former principal chief conservator of forests PG Dilip Kumar had also written to the government expressing his opinion two years back, as this project was not a viable one and would affect elephant movement, leading to further man-elephant conflict.