SHWETA KAMAT
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PANJIM: In a bid to boost wildlife tourism in Goa, the State Forest Department is exploring the possibility of launching a first-of-its kind tiger safari in and around the protected areas of Bondla Zoo, which is set to welcome a new pair of tigers after the monsoon.
The department has obtained the necessary approvals from the government to procure a tiger and tigress from a rescue centre in Nagpur, Maharashtra, in exchange for a pair of bison.
The State’s lone zoo at Bondla is undergoing a major revamp, with the department working on modifying or restructuring the enclosures and in-house amenities for the animals housed there. A grand entrance plaza, high-quality restaurants, recreational activities, a play area for children and other facilities are being proposed.
Bondla Zoo lost their former pair of tigers Rana and Sandhya, in December 2016 and July 2017, respectively. Both animals had lived to a ripe old age, and died of natural causes. The pair had been procured from Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Vishakhapatnam in 2009.
Even as the Public Works Department (PWD) has completed restructuring the enclosure for the new arrivals, a roadmap for the proposed tiger safari is in process. Sources say the tigers will be allowed to roam free within designated zones, instead of being housed in cages.
Sources said the Forest Department is focusing on promoting wildlife tourism and eco-tourism on a grand scale. “We are in process of identifying zones for tourism. This time we don’t want to keep tigers in cages but we want to set them free within designated zones, where we will conduct safaris for visitors,” sources said. The Master Plan of the Bondla Zoological Park has been submitted to the Central Zoological Authority (CZA) for approval.
The existing zoo structures date back to 1969 to 1975.
“The holistic and integrated development of Bondla zoo, to showcase diverse fauna of the Western Ghats and other regions, is in process,” said a forest department staffer. The department has also proposed the procurement of exotic birds and acquisition of a striped tiger, barking deer, pheasants, exotic primates, iguana, mouse deer, grey jungle fowl and sun conure birds, and the PWD is in the process of building new cages and facilities for them.
