Date:04/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/04/stories/2007030409150300.htm

Karnataka - Bellary

Sloth bear sanctuary to get new facilities

Staff Correspondent

The sanctuary, spread over 5,587 hectares of land, is attracting many The sanctuary near Hampi is attracting many visitors

Tourism Department has sanctioned Rs. 20 lakh

A reception centre, garden and a viewing point to be readied

TREAT FOR NATURE LOVERS: A sloth bear with cubs at the sanctuary in Daroji.

BELLARY: The Tourism Department has sanctioned Rs. 20 lakh for improving infrastructure at the Sloth Bear sanctuary at Daroji in Sandur taluk in Bellary district.

The sloth bear sanctuary, perhaps the only one in Asia and spread over 5,587 hectares of land, has been attracting a lot of nature lovers and tourists visiting the world-famous Hampi, the erstwhile seat of Vijayanagar empire.

Located about 15 km from Hampi and adjacent to NH-63 between Hospet and Torangal, there are over 140 bears in addition to peacocks, a variety of birds and bio-diversity.

Eco-tourism

The sanctuary is also emerging as an eco-tourism spot. Over a dozen sloth bears can be sighted between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. in addition to a variety of other animals and birds. The Forest Department (Wild Life) has raised fruit-bearing trees for the sloth bears and birds and constructed check-dams and dug up ponds to ensure water for the animals. It also constructed a wall to prevent the bears from straying into the fields in the vicinity.

Deputy Commissioner Arvind Srivastav told The Hindu the facilities were being improved upon to attract more people.

The works proposed to be taken up at the sanctuary included setting up of a reception centre, a garden and a viewing point. The funds allocated would also be utilised to develop the "Nisarga Dham" that had come up near Kamalapur, procure tents, construct canteen building, install signboards and prepare brochures on the sanctuary, Mr. Srivastav said.