Gujarat Plans ₹542-Crore Desert Night Safari With 2,700 Animals

Gujarat is preparing to turn a stretch of its arid landscape into a very different kind of wildlife attraction: a desert zoological park with a major night-safari component. The proposed project at Juna Deesa in Banaskantha district is estimated to cost ₹542.14 crore and is planned across about 103 hectares of government land. Visitors would be able to drive through specially designed enclosures after dark and see animals in an environment inspired by desert and dryland habitats.

A wildlife park built around the desert landscape

Juna Deesa has been selected because of its natural terrain, including sand dunes, as well as its proximity to the Banas river and road and rail connectivity. The larger idea is to use the character of the landscape rather than erase it. Instead of a conventional zoo made up largely of small enclosures, the project envisages broad habitat-based zones designed around dryland conditions.

Day zoo, five night-safari enclosures

The plan includes a day zoo, five dedicated night-safari enclosures, separate zones for herbivores and carnivores, an aviary, a reptile garden, a butterfly garden and an interpretation centre. Visitor facilities are also expected to include a food court, souvenir shop and golf-cart services.

Around 2,700 animals across 83 species

The proposed park is expected to house around 2,700 animals and birds, representing roughly 83 species. Indian species named in the plan include chinkara, blackbuck, the Indian wild ass, Asiatic lion, leopard, desert fox, wolf, jackal, striped hyena, caracal and several species of rabbits.

The proposal also envisages animals associated with arid regions of Africa and Australia. The suggested list includes giraffe, Grevy's zebra, scimitar-horned oryx, kudu, springbok, gazelle, black rhinoceros, meerkat, African cheetah and African lion, along with kangaroo, emu and wallaby.

The night safari is the big draw

The strongest tourism proposition is the night safari. Visitors would enter designated areas in vehicles and observe animals in specially planned low-light environments. The concept is different from a conventional zoo visit because the experience is built around nocturnal wildlife and the atmosphere of an arid landscape after sunset.

Conservation alongside tourism

The project is also intended to have a conservation and education role. Plans include conservation breeding, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, environmental education and interpretation. By placing Indian desert wildlife alongside species from other dry regions, the park could become a public education centre focused on how animals adapt to harsh environments.

The environmental challenge

A project of this scale in an arid region will inevitably raise questions about water, energy, waste and ecological impact. The plan includes rainwater harvesting, sewage treatment, solid-waste management, solar power, planting of local species and green buffer zones. In a desert landscape, the efficiency and sustainability of water management will be one of the most important tests of the project.

A new tourism circuit for north Gujarat

Juna Deesa could also be linked with tourism destinations such as Vadnagar, Ambaji and Nadabet to create a wider north Gujarat circuit. If the project becomes operational at the planned scale, hotels, transport, guides, food services and local businesses could benefit from increased visitor traffic.

Not the African savanna — Gujarat's desert instead

Safari tourism in India is usually associated with forests and big cats. Gujarat's proposal is built around a different visual and ecological idea: a dry landscape, sand dunes, night drives and wildlife under the desert sky. The ₹542-crore project will ultimately be judged by whether it becomes more than a new zoo and whether it can establish a sustainable model for desert-based wildlife tourism.

Source note: Project cost, land area, animal numbers, species and infrastructure details are based on published reports on the proposed project and its approvals.