The Bannerghatta Biological Park, popularly known as BBP (Bannerghatta Biological Park), has been an integral part of Bannerghatta National Park and emerged out as an independent establishment during the year 2002. It is in order to meet the growing demand for eco-recreation, eco-tourism and conservation, an area of 545.00 Ha of forest from the National park was set aside to constitute as Biological Park originally and later extended to 731.88 Ha. Bannerghatta Biological Park is located about 22 Kms south of Bengaluru city. It is one among the few places in the world where wilderness is preserved so close to a big city. It is having different units such as Zoo, Safari, Butterfly Park and Rescue Center (Conservation of captive animals).
Bannerghatta National Park is open throughout the year for visitors while the best time to visit the place is between mid-June and August when the place is at its greenest and provides a beautiful eye soothing spectacle. The best time to spot wild animals, however, is between the months of November and June.
Taxonomically, the forest is categorized as a thorny scrub, dry deciduous and moist deciduous complex forest interspersed with rocky outcrops. According to biodiversity experts, the Bannerghatta forest area is a very sensitive region as it is one of the safest elephant corridors in the country, allowing the transit of hundreds of elephants every year. It is also home to several hundred Asian elephants, Sāmbhar, spotted deer, wild dogs, sloth bears, leopards, jungle cats, and monitor lizards. The national park also has about 250 species of birds, 20 species of snakes and 150 species of butterflies along with 220 species of plants and trees.
The zoo has an exotic collection of reptiles, mammals, and birds of 72 different species. The famous attractions here include the Thiamin deer, hog deer, king cobra, and Himalayan black bear and Malabar giant squirrel. The rescue center is perhaps one of the largest in South India and known the world over for its conservation work. Tigers and lions rescued from circuses are brought here while tigers rescued from international circus companies are rehabilitated at the Born Free Foundation.
These animals are fed by the park by putting meat inside the cages around 5.30 pm every day. Once they smell the meat, the go inside the cages and the park staff close the gates. The gates are opened in the morning and they once again roam around the safari park till evening. In a way, the income from the safari goes back to the upkeep and food for the animals. There are ancient temples in the park for worship and it is a destination for trekking and hiking.
SAFARI
Safari in the natural forest is an expedition to observe the free-range wild animals in their natural habitat. The visitors in the secured safari vehicle are allowed inside the safari, will have the thrill of the wilderness by seeing them in the midst of the forest through a keen and close observation. The Bannerghatta Biological Park is one of the pioneers in providing this facility to the visiting public.
The visitors will have the thrill of wilderness and wildlife with the feeling of being in the midst of the forest and wild animals. This is the main theme of the safaris formed in the Bannerghatta Biological Park in the midst of the Natural forests i.e. Ragihalli Reserve Forest, 4 km away from the zoo connected by asphalted road. The route to the safari passes through the pictures hillock Mattubunde giving an opportunity to the visitors to have the inspiring and breathe holding a panoramic view of the landscape of the broken chain of hillocks and valleys with lush green forests. The park is one of the pioneers in creating and maintaining the safari of the wild animals to see, study and enjoy the majestic predators and other animals.
LION SAFARI
It is an open enclosure created in an area of 5.00 Ha of Ragihalli Reserve Forest during 1979. All around the 5.00 Ha of forest area, a tall chain link mesh with the height of around 15 feet has been erected. Further, a big moat all around the chain link mesh fence has been created to avoid the tress pass of any wild animals living in the area. The animal house is provided with 11 holding rooms and all the 11 holding rooms are provided with a retrieval area for the daytime rest. The identified groups of animals are only allowed into safari on a rotational basis regularly for the benefit of visiting tourists. Presently there are 19 lions (10 male and 9 females) are housed in lion safari.
TIGER SAFARI
The peripheral boundary has been created for all the 3 units by digging an open moat and erecting chain link mesh fence. Indira Gandhi Tiger Safari has the facility of 11 holding rooms. The Appaiah Tiger Safari has the facilities of 02 animal housing complexes. Both animal houses together have 10 animal holding rooms. The White tiger safari has the facilities of 02 animal housing complexes. There are totally 08 animal holding rooms. All the holding houses are provided with basic facilities of water and sanitation. The identified groups of animals are only allowed into safari on a rotational basis regularly for the benefit of visiting tourists.
Presently there are 26 (15 male and 11 females) normal tigers and 7 (3 male and 4 females) white tigers are housed in tiger safari.
Flora: Flora in the park include
- Narcissus latifolia
- Schleichera oleosa
- Terminalia tomentosa
- Sandalwood
- Neem
- T. arjuna
- Grewia tilaefolia
- Santalum album
- Tamarind
- Bamboo
- Eucalyptus
- Bauhinia purpurea
- Samanea saman
- Peltphorum Pterocarpus
Fauna: Fauna in the park include
- elephants
- gaur
- leopard
- jackal
- fox
- sloth bear
- Indian gazelle
- spotted deer
- barking deer
- common langur
- bonnet macaque
- porcupine
- hare
- wild boar
- pangolin
- Asiatic lion
- Royal Bengal tiger
- slender loris
- monitor lizard
- cobras
- python
- Russell's viper
- krait
- peacock
HOW TO REACH
- From Kempegowda Bus Stand/City Railway Station Board bus no.365 or 365J from platform number 17, which directly goes to the Bannerghatta national park. (28KM).
- From Shivajinagar Bus Stand Board bus no.368.
- City Market Board bus no.366.
- OLA, UBER and other private taxis plying from various prominent locations of the city to Bannerghatta biological park (BBP).
TIME TO VISIT
- Zoo 09:30 AM to 5:00 PM
- Grand Safari (Tiger, Lion, Bear & Herbivore safari) 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM
- Butterfly Park 09:30 AM to 5:00 PM
- Boating 09:30 AM to 5:00 PM (60/- per head/trip. Duration: 30:00 Minutes a trip)
*Children Aged between 6 and 12 years.
*Senior citizen 60 years above.
*Special trips (only for safari) AC Bus Service: ADULT500/-CHILD 300/- SENI 500/-
*Jeep Service 2500/- per trip [Maximum 04 members only].
*300/- for full boat hire/trip. Duration: 30:00 Minutes a trip [Maximum 04 members only]