Lion safari at Nahargarh open for public from Wednesday

JAIPUR: Wildlife tourism in the state will reach a new high as forest department is set to introduce a lion safari at the Nahargarh Biological Park for wildlife enthusiasts, residents and tourists from Wednesday. 

Forest minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar inaugurated the lion safari in September. The forest department will now finally throw open the park for public.

Deputy forest officer (DFO) Sudarshan Sharma, said, “The park for lion safari will be opened for public from Wednesday. Timing of the park will be from 9 am to 4 pm. The entry ticket for the safari will cost Rs 200 per person.”

The natural track for safari in the foothills of Aravali has a length of approximately 2km and provides a panoramic view. “Caged vehicles will be used for the safety of tourists. We have deployed two 16-seater vehicles for safari initially. Two more vehicles will be brought soon,” said a forest official.

Tourists visiting the park can spot three lions — the lioness ‘Tara’ and two male cubs ‘Tripura’ and ‘Tejas’ — released into the enclosure.

Plans are afoot to bring lions from Junagarh, Gujarat. According to the forest official, a total of 10 lions will be released in the park in a phased manner. The forest department has also revived four old waterbodies and developed grasslands to provide a natural base for lions. Ten retiring chambers have been constructed for feeding and treating the lions and emergencies.

To effectively monitor the lions, a checkpost tower has been constructed for guards outside the park. The park will also have a unique ‘hidden point’ near a watering hole for tourists to watch birds.

Apart from lion safari zone, the biological park at present has 21 enclosures, where endangered animals, including a tiger, a leopard and other wild animals are provided with a natural habitation.