Bannerghatta National Park:
The Central Empowered Committee recommended that the Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) should be restored to its original 2016 extent.
- It is in the hills of the Anekal range, near Bangalore, Karnataka.
- It was declared a National Park in 1974.
- In 2006, India’s first butterfly enclosure was inaugurated at the park.
- The Suvarnamukhi stream, the main source of water for the animals in the park, runs through the centre of the park.
- There are three types of vegetation that can be found: Dry Deciduous Scrub Forests, Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests and Southern Tropical Moist Mixed Forests.
- Include Narcissus latifolia, Schleichera oleosa, Sandalwood, Neem, Tamarind, Bamboo, Eucalyptus, etc.
- Prime habitat for several species, including the endangered Asian Elephant, Indian gaur, Tiger, Sambar deer, Spotted deer,Leopard, Wild dog, Wild pig, Sloth bear, Common mongoose, Pangolin, Slender loris, Black-naped hare, etc.
- Ecologically Sensitive Zone are created as “shock absorbers” for the protected areas, to minimize the negative impact on the “fragile ecosystems”.
- These zones are notified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
