Unlike zoos and national parks where the visitors don’t get an opportunity to connect with animals and learn their side of the story, Prani pet sanctuary is an school for kids and the grown ups to interact with and learn more about pets and animals from across the world. In the outskirts of Bangalore, Prani – a pet sanctury houses both exotic animals and rescued animals and ensure a safe, happy and healthy environment for them.
Prani Pet Sanctuary – A place of exotic pets from across the world
They house pets, birds, tiny animals, fishes and rescued ones. To give comprehensive information about all these animals and pets, Prani offers guided tours to its visitors. It takes anywhere between 40 minutes to 90 minutes depending on the crowd, questions asked and the enthusiasm shown by visitors. The guided tour is by default included as part of the entry fee and it doesn’t require any additional purchases. The tour begins with rodents and a couple of tiny animals, followed by reptiles, horses, rabbits, birds, turtles, and more. Prani keeps adding to its collection. These guides are free to approach and as part of the tour, they share information about the animals on their habitats, food habits, their country presence, defense mechanisms, etc. The fun part is yet to be revealed. Kids love Prani not just for this educational piece, but for the opportunity to touch these exotic creatures, to keep them in their hands and to interact with them.
From Australian rodents and Iguanas to Hedgehogs, snakes and parakeets, one can touch and interact with these animals. Prani gives a safe environment for both animals and also for the visitors for this interaction.
Prani – A friendly environment for everyone to learn
Prani pet sanctuary has employed a good number of resident trainers / tamers / educators as they wear several caps across the day. These employees take care of the animals, tame them and offer them a safe place where they can interact with humans. They offer guided tours where these educators accompany the visitors and provide them vital and interesting information about these animals, how some of them were rescued, their eating habits, habitat and more. Some of the schools bring the kinds as part of day visits to learn more about these animals as part of their fun tours. These trainers / guides reside in the sanctuary and spend a good amount of time with these animals to understand them, know them better and accordingly offer them an enhanced environment. They share their learnings to the visitors and educate the children in a practical way. In fact, these educators call Prani, a practical school where children can learn by seeing and interacting with animals.
The aviary at Prani Pet Sanctuary
Prani also houses an aviary where one can see several types of parakeets and small birds of the parrot species flying around everywhere. The guide provides seeds which can be directly fed to these birds by the visitors. Depending on the bird’s preference, it is not rare to see birds sitting on visitors’ hands, shoulders and head. In some cases, it takes a stroll from hand through the arms to the shoulders and to the head. Kids would love this place. These birds have a separate place within the aviary where they have their nests, the eggs and the young ones. The guide carefully directs the visitors to ensure zero disturbance to the young ones and the nests.
These little birds fly amock and walk everywhere surrounding the visitors that at all times care should be taken not to accidentally harm these birds around. It is a beautiful experience to actually feed the bird directly where the bird is at liberty to decide whether to come to you to get the food.
Did you know that Emu eggs are green in color?
A bunch of Emu birds too are available for interaction with visitors. These emu birds, while fenced overall, do not live in captivity. They are relatively calm compared to Ostriches and surprisingly cooperative with children who try to touch their feathers, neck and tail. If one visits during a sunny daytime, one can witness these emu birds taking an open bath from a hose pipe through which water is sprinkled at them. They quite enjoy their bath and do not shy away from spending more time in water. Also, depending on their mating season, the visitors may also get a chance to see the younger ones.
By the way, did you know that Emu eggs are green in color and are a size of big mango fruit?
Animal adoption and external events at Prani Pet Sanctuary
Prani pet sanctuary houses large volumes of Guinea pigs and Hampsters which they offer to interested visitors free of cost for adoption. This means that visitors at Prani can walk away home with a bunch of Guinea pigs if they want to at no extra cost. Owing to its growing popularity among the city dwellers and children, Prani is also offering a way to bring these animals to the events within the city premises. While there would be a cost associated with it, it is now possible to bring in these animals and setup a mini-Prani type environment as a special feature in events and forums, if one wants to highlight their preference for pets and animals. Also, it is kind of cool to setup an interactive education for people through animals in its natural habitat at a local event. Think about it.
How much does the visit cost?
The entry fee is Rs. 400 per person. It has remained the same for a couple of years. While the crowd isn’t too much, it is ideal to book online to ensure a spot, especially if it is a holiday season. This is a place which is gradually gaining visibility and prominence and one can expect the crowd to only increase in the upcoming years. This entry fee includes the 45 minute guided tour by Prani educators. While Rs. 400 per head is on the higher side, considering the fun one would have in directly interacting with some of these animals which one wouldn’t get to see often in other places, it is an okay spend. Also, most part of the entry fee goes in maintaining these animals. Also these guides are very knowledgeable about these pets. They share very good insights about the animals.
Where is Prani Pet Sanctuary located?
Prani pet sanctuary is located in a remote location off Kanakapura road and one would need a personal vehicle to reach the sanctuary as it is devoid of public transports to offer last mile connectivity. It is at a distance of 2.5 Kms approximately from Kanakapura road and this road gets bumpy as one nears the sanctuary and the last 100 – 200 meters leading to the sanctuary is just a mud road. So expect bumps. From the city, it would take approximately 75 – 90 minutes to reach the spot depending on the traffic conditions.
Useful tips and information for travelers
Address: Off, Kanakapura Rd, Somanahalli, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560082
Online link to reserve the guided tour: https://www.prani.co.in/book-online
Prani pet sanctuary is open all through the week from 9AM to 5PM
A unique experience
Prani Pet Sanctuary is a unique destination that offers an immersive, hands-on experience with a diverse array of animals. Unlike traditional zoos, Prani allows visitors to interact closely with exotic and rescued animals, providing both educational and memorable experiences. With its knowledgeable guides, safe environment, and opportunities for direct interaction, Prani serves as a living classroom where both children and adults can learn about animal behavior, habitats, and conservation. Whether feeding birds in the aviary, touching an iguana, or adopting a guinea pig, every visit to Prani is filled with wonder and learning. Located just outside Bangalore, this sanctuary is a must-visit for anyone looking to connect with animals in a meaningful way.