Kolkata, 02 November (H.S.) : In a major push to boost tourism in West Bengal's Jangalmahal region, a new Tiger Safari Park is set to be established in Jhargram. This will be the state's second tiger safari facility, following the Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri, North Bengal. The state government has allocated a dedicated fund of Rs 25 crore for this ambitious project in its budget.

The safari will be developed across 262 acres of lush Sal forest on the outskirts of Jhargram town, situated directly opposite the Jangalmahal Zoological Park. The State Forest Minister recently announced that preparations are underway to relocate five tigers from Siliguri's Bengal Safari Park to Jhargram by the upcoming New Year to kickstart the safari operations.

According to Forest Department sources, the required land has already been transferred, and the detailed project proposal has been submitted. The tendering process is expected to conclude shortly, paving the way for construction. To ensure maximum safety, high boundary walls topped with specialized battery-operated electric fencing will be erected around the forest perimeter, safely containing the big cats within the designated zone. To provide tourists with a thrilling, up-close wildlife experience, specially designed circular pathways with mesh roofs will be constructed inside the forest, alongside the deployment of designated safari vehicles.

As an interim measure, a new enclosure with a capacity to house four tigers has already been readied at the Jangalmahal Zoological Park. The big cats will be accommodated here initially and will be released into the open forest only after the safari's infrastructure is fully completed. Addressing queries about whether the region's climate and red-soil Sal forests are conducive for tigers, forest officials cited previous conservation successes at the Jangalmahal Zoo. Leopards brought from North Bengal in 2018 adapted well and successfully bred in captivity here, after which some were sent back to North Bengal.

Historically, the forests of Jhargram have recorded tiger movements. A few years ago, a Royal Bengal Tiger strayed into the Lalgarh forest and survived there for about a month before tragically being killed during a tribal hunting festival. More recently, in 2024, a tigress named 'Zeenat' migrated from Odisha, passed through Jharkhand, and reached Belpahari in Jhargram. She was eventually captured in neighboring Bankura, temporarily sheltered at Kolkata's Alipore Zoo, and subsequently repatriated to Odisha following legal formalities.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh