Mysuru: Visitors to the Dasara Expo can now have real forest experience, as the Forest Department has created a unique artificial forest, which was inaugurated by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Jagath Ram recently.

The PCCF, who went around the forest, expressed happiness on seeing the models of wild animals placed in such a way to resemble real forest. 

Speaking to the media, the PCCF said that the forest has been created with the theme ‘Wildlife and Forest Conservation’ and added that one could visit the forest and get information about it.

Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) Dr.K.C. Prashanth Kumar said that this year the forest has been created keeping in mind the importance of wildlife conservation and added that the artificial forest has come out good.

He said that the steps taken by the Forest Department to control man-animal conflicts and the functioning of the Department from check post to check dam has been explained. Life size models of wild animals have been placed in the forest to give visitors a real experience of forest and attempts have been made to introduce the specialities of a few animals, he said. 

The importance of forests which are being destroyed by humans for their greed is explained, he said and added that wild animals have the right to live in freedom just like human beings.

The artificial forest is the work of artist Srinivas and his team of 40 members, who took about 20 days to create the artificial forest. Apart from the life size replicas of animals, the sound of tigers roaring, chirping of birds, trumpeting of elephants provide real forest experience. 

Also, visitors can get various information through posters put up at the forest pertaining to wildlife and forest conservation, man-animal conflicts, ill effects of poaching wild animals, fire lines etc.

Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF) T. Heeralal, Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Krupanidhi, Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF)- Wildlife J. Alexander, DCF T. Venkatesh and others were present.