Bannerghatta National Park is situated half an hour drive away from the City of Bangalore (22 km south of Bangalore), Karnataka, India. The hilly place is the home for one of the rich natural, zoological reserves. The 25,000 acre (101 km²) zoological park makes this a major tourist attraction of Bangalore.

The Zoological reserve

The Bannerghatta Tiger and Lion Reserve has a reserve of Indian tigers, lions and other mammals. A mini safari here helps to fund the reserve. The Tiger Reserve has been recognised by the Forest Department of India and has acquired a fairly nice image in terms of maintenance despite some tragic incidents and alleged careless mishaps.

Controversy

A young child fell prey to a lion, allegedly due to carelessness of the Forest Department staff. The tragic incident raised much controversy about the security of the mini-safari and its maintenance. People complain that the Safari still suffers with poor infrastructure and a shabby maintenance.

The zoo

Although the zoo has an impressive collection, it has been criticised for the maintenance of its exhibits. 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.

External links & References

• Sudha Magazine
• Tourist Info
• Karnataka Tourism Page
• Criticisms of the National Park in The Hindu
• Report from 5tigers.org about a child fatality in 1992
• Lions’ club grows at Bannerghatta park