Bannerghatta National Park

About Bannerghatta National Park

• Location: It is located near Bangalore, Karnataka, in the hills of the Anekal range.
• Founded in 1971, the park was given the status of a national park in 1974.
• In 2002, a portion of the park became a biological reserve, the Bannerghatta Biological Park. It is the first biological park in India to have a fenced, forested elephant sanctuary. 
• In 2006, India's first butterfly enclosure was inaugurated at the park.
• River: Suvarnamukhi stream, the main source of water for the animals of the park, runs through the centre of the park.
• It also acts as an important corridor for the elephants migrating from the Eastern Ghats to the Western Ghats
• Vegetation: 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.
• Flora: Include Narcissus latifolia, Schleichera oleosa, Sandalwood, Neem, Tamarind, Bamboo, Eucalyptus etc.
• Fauna: 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.

Q1) What is an eco-sensitive zone (ESZ)?

An eco-sensitive zone (ESZ) is an area that is identified and demarcated around protected areas such as national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves, to minimize the impact of developmental activities on the ecosystem.

Source: Bannerghatta National Park encroachment: Supreme Court committee seeks Karnataka govt’s response