Kamalapur (Vijayanagara): A male tiger named ‘Reva’ arrived at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Geological Park, located near Hampi, on Thursday.This park, also referred to as Hampi Zoo, is one of its kind in Kalyana Karnataka that features a safari. The Central Zoological Authority in New Delhi approved the transfer of a male tiger and a male hippopotamus from Pilikula Biological Park in Mangaluru as part of an animal exchange programme.‘The number of visitors to the zoo is growing daily. A significant number of animals are being brought in to draw in tourists. Now that the tiger has arrived, the hippopotamus will follow in the coming days,’ stated DCF Rajesh Nayak, who also serves as the executive director of the zoo.The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Zoological Park was inaugurated in Nov 2017 and is situated 10 kilometres from Hampi, the Unesco World Heritage site. Covering an area of 141 hectares, the park is home to tigers, lions, spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, and more.Numerous animals such as crocodiles, hyenas, leopards, bears, turtles, foxes, and langurs were transferred from the Ballari Mini Zoo. The zoo houses over 80 species of birds, four lions, and many tigers.Hampi Zoo features a fully equipped wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre, where 20 injured wild bears were treated and subsequently released back into the forest.
