Mumbai: The Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), a forest located in Borivali area of Mumbai, will soon introduce a leopard safari, providing one more attraction to visitors in addition to the tiger and lion safaris, a minister said here on Friday.
Information Technology and Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, who is also the Mumbai suburban guardian minister, on Friday paid a visit to the SGNP, where he made the announcement.
He also adopted a pair of lions - Bharat and Bharati - for a year, taking personal responsibility for their upkeep. These lions were brought to the SGNP from Gujarat on the Republic Day this year.
"At present, the SGNP hosts tiger and lion safaris. Leopard cubs found in various parts of Maharashtra are brought and reared here. But tourists do not get to see leopards in their natural habitat," Shelar said.
Nearly 30 hectares of land would be required for this purpose and it is available. The leopard safari, which will soon be launched, will offer visitors a unique wildlife experience while ensuring a safe environment for the rescued leopards and their cubs that have been rehabilitated in this park, he said. "This will not only enhance tourism but also boost revenue," Shelar said.
SGNP director G Mallikarjuna said the cost of the project is estimated to be Rs 5 crore. "Every year, 20 lakh tourists visit the SGNP. If leopard safari is introduced, the number of tourists will increase thereby boosting revenues of the park," Mallikarjuna, who made a detailed presentation to the minister, said.
After the presentation, Shelar gave instructions to immediately initiate the process of starting the leopard safari and the funds needed will be jointly sourced from the forest department and the district planning committee.
The minister also instructed the district collector to expedite the proposal to implement the initiative at the earliest.
Shelar said there were 400 workers at the SGNP, who carry out their duty in extreme weather conditions and come in direct contact with wild animals.
"Most of them are tribals. Also, there is a team of 11 workers who work for the protection of both wildlife and human settlements," Shelar said, adding that he had directed the officials to provide them with immediate insurance cover for their safety. Necessary budgetary allocation for their insurance will also be made, he said.
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