New tiger safari to come up in Chandrapur

The proposal was forwarded to the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for approval last week

Mumbai: To ease the tourist load on the Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) and inspired by the success of Gorewada Zoo, the state forest department has proposed setting up a new tiger safari on a 515-acre site near the Forest Academy in Chandrapur. The proposal was forwarded to the Central Zoo Authority of India (CZA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for approval last week.

New tiger safari to come up in Chandrapur

Chandrapur MLA Kishor Jorgewar has been actively pushing for the project after the success of the Gorewada zoo safari in Nagpur. The upcoming facility is being designed by Chandrashekharan Bala, general manager of Gorewada zoo, who is also overseeing the Chandrapur project, sources said.

The safari will feature three tigers and will guarantee sightings, officials from the forest department said. It will include themed animal zones inspired by the fauna of Australia, South America, South Africa, and India, offering visitors a global wildlife experience. The Australian trail will feature kangaroos, emus, agile wallabies, laughing kookaburras, and sulphur-crested cockatoos, while the South American zone will showcase jaguars, spider monkeys, macaws, and toco toucans. The Indian zone will have jungle cats, leopards, macaques, gibbons, Nilgiri langurs, gharials, nilgai, sambar, chital, blackbuck, four-horned antelope, barking deer, barasingha, Himalayan goral, Indian wolf, Asiatic lion, striped hyena, sloth bear, wild dog, and honey badger.

The park will house 104 species in total, including 80 indigenous and 14 exotic animals. The plans also include a 44-hectare vehicle safari, a 20-acre children’s park, mini train rides, extensive visitor facilities, and 18 night shelters for carnivores, according to officials.