File picture of Nandankanan zoo

Bhubaneswar, June 8: Triple bonanza is in store for those planning a trip to Nandankanan zoo.

While the lion safari is all set to resume with the appointment of a new contractor, the state government is mulling a move to introduce two more safaris — one exclusively for bears and another for herbivorous animals.

Minister of environment and forests Debi Prasad Mishra today said the lion safari would be shortly thrown open to visitors to the zoo located on the outskirts of the capital.

“We have outsourced the lion safari. The contract for running the safari is awarded every year by floating tenders. The tender for the current year has been finalised and the contractor will start operating the safari as soon three buses are ready with him,” said S.N. Mohapatra, deputy director of Nandankanan zoo.

The lion safari, which is spread over 20 hectares and surrounded by a 5.5 metre high chain link fence, was started in January 1984. Sources said 14 African lions would be released into the safari at a time. The adventure ride through the lion kingdom attracts around one lakh visitors every year.

Sources also said that talks were on with the Central Zoo Authority, a statutory body under the Union ministry of environment and forests, to finalise the animal exchange programme for the zoo.

The Nandankanan zoo, which celebrated its golden jubilee on December 29 last year, draws 20,000 visitors daily during the peak season with an annual average of over 21 lakh visitors.

Tourists manhandled

Laxmikant Mukherjee, a tourist from Bengal, lodged an FIR with the local police alleging that he was manhandled by a taxi driver outside the Nandankanan zoo.

After visiting Puri, Mukherjee and his family had come to the zoo in a taxi, arranged by the hotel they were staying in. But the driver left without informing them. On their request the hotel sent another driver, who allegedly misbehaved with Mukherjee and his brother.