Bannerghatta National Park

Bannerghatta National Park
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Bannerghatta National Park
Location	Karnataka, India
Nearest city	BangaloreNearest city: Bangalore
Area	104.27 km².
Established	1974 Established: 1974
Governing body	Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India

Bannerghatta National Park is situated 22 km south of Bangalore, Karnataka, India. The journey to the park takes nearly one and a half hours from Bangalore. This hilly place is the home for one of the richest natural, zoological reserves. The 25,000 acre (104.27 km²) zoological park makes this a major tourist attraction of Bangalore.

The Zoological reserve

A leopard at Bannerghatta Zoo

The Bannerghatta Tiger and Lion Reserve has a reserve of Indian tigers including white tigers, lions and other mammals. Safaris - Tiger & Lion Safari and Grand Safari(including herbivores) - conducted by the KSTDC,aid in the funding of the reserve. The Tiger Reserve of the park has been recognised by the Forest Department of India.

White Tiger at Bannerghatta National Park

Travel information

Altitude: 1245 to 1634 meters above sea level
Visiting hours: 9AM to 5PM
Holiday: Closed on Tuesday
Best time: September to January
How to reach:(city bus routes) 365 from majestic, 366 from market, 368 from shivajinagar, G-4 from Brigade Road,365M from Yelahanka Satellite Town,366P from Bagalkunte

The Zoo

Crocodiles in the Bannerghatta Zoo

There is a small museum in the zoo which showcases zoological exhibits. The zoo, which is a major attraction in this area, also has a reptile park and a small theatre. The zoo has been criticised for the maintenance of its exhibits. The Zoo is closed on Tuesdays (weekly holiday)

Butterfly Park

Entrance ot the Butterfly Park

The country's first Butterfly Park was established at the Bannerghatta Biological Park. It was inaugurated on Saturday November 25, 2006 by Kapil Sibal, Union Minister of Science and Technology.

Interpretation Center @ Butterfly Park

The Butterfly Park is spread across 7.5 acres (30,000 m²) of land. It comprises a butterfly conservatory, museum and an audio-visual room. The butterfly conservatory has a polycarbonate roof and is a 10,000 sq ft (1,000 m²). circular enclosure, inside which the living environment has been carefully designed to support over 20 species of butterflies.

The environment has a tropical setting — complete with the humid climate, an artificial waterfall,a narrow walking bridge and host plants and shrubs that attract butterflies.

The conservatory leads to the second and third domes, which house the museum containing dioramas and exhibits of carefully preserved,exquisite butterflies.

The collaborative agencies are the Zoo Authority of Karnataka, University of Agricultural Sciences and the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE).

Biological Reserve

The park surroundings are a biological reserve belonging to the forest dept. and are home to elephant, leopards, deer and various other animals. The reserve belongs to an Elephant Corridor and is connected with the B.R. Hills, Sathyamangalam forest areas extending all the way up to Waynad.

Occasional news have reported about spotting elephants on the Bannerghatta-Anekal Road passing close to the Biological Reserve. There was also an incident reported of a leopard entering a school premises with her cubs and the school had to be shut down for 3 days.^[1]

References

External links and references

• Bannerghatta Bio Park
• Bannerghatta National Park travel guide from Wikitravel

A rare spider of the family Idiopidae found in Bannerghatta

• Criticisms of the National Park in The Hindu
• Report from 5tigers.org about a child fatality in 1992
• Lions’ club grows at Bannerghatta park
• Butterfly Park in The Hindu
• News:Elephants stray into villages on periphery of BNP, Oct 17, 2006
• Bangalore Accomadation Details for tourists

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