Siliguri, July 15 (Siliguri Chronicle) – The Bengal Safari Park, officially known as the North Bengal Wild Animal Park, is set to add a new attraction soon. Park authorities announced on Monday that an enclosure for canines will be introduced in the coming days.
Located on the outskirts of Siliguri, the park is the only open-air zoological park in north Bengal. As part of the new feature, two wild dogs will be released into the enclosure and made available for public viewing.
In due course, hyenas and jackals will also be introduced to the enclosure, officials said.
“The canine enclosure is ready at the park. Two wild dogs will be introduced for public display soon, while the process to bring hyenas, wolves, and jackals is in progress,” said E. Vijayakumar, the park’s director.
He was speaking on the sidelines of “Banmahotsav,” a statewide nature conservation event organized by the state forest department and observed at the park on Monday.
To mark the occasion, around 50 saplings were planted in the park.
Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb attended the event along with foresters and officials from the Siliguri Metropolitan Police.
According to the park director, the Bengal Safari Park currently houses 800 wild animals across 60 different species.
“A separate lizard enclosure will also open with green iguanas and Indian monitor lizards,” the official said.
Sources said five green iguanas and a pair of Indian monitor lizards have arrived at the park from the Alipore Zoo in Calcutta.
The Indian monitor lizard, native to the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast and Western Asia, is facing a population decline due to hunting, sources added.
Veteran Trinamool leader Gautam Deb, who played a key role in establishing the park — a major state project in north Bengal — said he has urged foresters to open enclosures for giraffes and hippos as well.
Deb said he wanted Siliguri to be more green in the years to come. “In the Siliguri civic area, we are planning to introduce a guideline which would make it mandatory to have a green space in every building,” he said.
Police outpost
A new police outpost of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police will become operational at the Bengal Safari Park this week.
Commissioner of Police C. Sudhakar said the outpost will be staffed by a sub-inspector, two assistant sub-inspectors, and five constables.
“Considering the steady footfall at the park, especially during festivities, the arrangement has been made for the security of visitors at the park,” said a police officer.
