New 1000-acre safari park proposed for Jhargram; tigers & leopards to be shifted from Siliguri

The West Bengal state government has accelerated administrative efforts to build an open safari park spanning nearly 1,000 acres in Jhargram. Modeled after North Bengal's Bengal Safari in Siliguri, the proposed park in South Bengal aims to boost regional tourism and wildlife conservation. Forest Minister Manoj Oraon highlighted that the project will allow tourists from Kolkata and neighboring districts to experience wildlife in an open forest setting without traveling long distances.

To populate the main attractions of the new park, five Royal Bengal tigers and one leopard will be transferred from Siliguri's Bengal Safari. The State Zoo Authority has already instructed local officials to select the specific big cats and submitted necessary clearance applications to the Central Zoo Authority. The initiative leverages Bengal Safari's successful breeding program, which has expanded its resident tiger population to 14 animals.

In subsequent phases, additional wildlife including spotted deer and hog deer will also be relocated from Bengal Safari to enrich Jhargram's local biodiversity. State authorities expect the mega-project to significantly strengthen the local economy and tourism industry in the Jangalmahal region. Officials confirmed that further species will be gradually introduced as park infrastructure develops.