Van Vihar National Park | 25 Dec 2024

Why in News? 

• According to the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department, the Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal will get two Asiatic lions from Gujarat in exchange for two Bengal tigers. 

 Key Points 

• Exchange Between MP and Gujarat: 
  • Under an animal exchange programme two tigers have been relocated to the Junagadh zoo. 
  • Two pure-breed Asiatic (Gir) lions will be brought from Sakkarbaug Zoological Park in Junagadh to Van Vihar National Park in Bhopal as part of the exchange. 
• Van Vihar National Park: 
  • It is located on the banks of the Upper Lake in Bhopal, and serves as a vital conservation area in the Madhya Pradesh capital. 
  • It has the unique distinction of being a combination of National Park, a Zoo, Rescue Centre for wild animals and Conservation Breeding Centre for selected vital species. 
    • It is the only place in central India where its rescue centre harbours a number of Lions and Tigers rescued from the circuses, Sloth Bears rescued from the madaris, Tigers, Panthers and Bears rescued from the zones of human-wildlife conflict. 
    • It is also a designated co-ordinating zoo and Conservation Breeding Centre for the Hard Ground Barasingha, the state animal of Madhya Pradesh and two species of Gyps Vultures. 
  • It is a natural habitat for a variety of herbivores and carnivores namely, tiger, white tiger, leopard, hyena and sloth bear, chital, sambhar, blackbuck, blue bull, chousingha, common langur, rhesus monkey, porcupine, etc.