Ponnanbalam
Is this tourism?
Scenes like this justify the extreme move to ban on tourism in the core areas of tiger reserves. Many activists and tour operators contend that tiger tourism should be better managed, but resist calling for a complete ban. They are of the view that tourism helps protect the tigers, as the public become eyes and ears for a reserve, and also provides livelihood for various people from drivers to guides.
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Older Comments 4
Tourism is infact good for the forest but there should be a fixed number of vehicles that should be permitted during per safari so that excessive tourists and the vehicles which ultimately disturbs the forest and its wildlife will be in control. Thanks
I have gone through many views expressed in the media hailing SC’s interim ban on tourist entry in the core area of tiger reserves. A mistaken case has been made out as if the tourist entry is responsible
for dwindling tiger population in the country and if banned from entering the tiger areas , the tiger will be saved and it will be a big boost to tiger conservation efforts in the country.
This is the biggest misconception . Tourist entry in the tiger reserves is a boon to tiger conservation efforts and it must not be banned. Tourist are the watch dogs who see , photograph and report violations . In the last 10 years there were 5 poaching incidents in the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve and all these 5 incidents were reported by the tourists / visitors. Banning tourist will make hundreds of locals unemployed and shorn of their livelihood they may resort to wildlife trafficking or join poachers.
However there is one area which certainly needs a ban and that is proliferation of resorts near Tiger Reserves. There are already enough and no more are desired .SC should put a ban on them.
JR Mohan.
Tourism is required…. no…. essential for the survival of not only the Tiger but the larger eco-system as a whole. The above scene is bad…. however, if you are able to travel to parks likeChandaka in Orissa… where the only tourists are local picnickers from Bhubaneshwar, then the need for proper tourism is felt. Kanha/Bandhavgarh are overcrowded but I have never seen empty beer bottles or packs uneaten chicken curry littered all over the place. The reason perhaps is that the FD as well as the guides/drivers are more knowledgeable about the negative impacts of this type of wanton desturction and will prevent a tourist from throwing out the empty pet bottle of coke. Places like Chandaka are open fields… no tourists leave alone guides/gypsies. You can just walk in paying the park fees and do whatever you like. Nobody will stop you. People come and go and treat the sanctuary as another picnick spot. Groups of students from local engineering colleges come in and play loud music shout and litter and there is no stopping them because nobody really cares. Nobody’s livelihood is dependant on the existence of the park except for the elephant’s or the Mouse Deers.
Regulate the tourist. Every guide at the start of the Safari should brief the tourists in the vehicle, what behaviour is expected and tell them the consequences of breaking the rules (throwing plastic… being noisy… etc.). IMPLEMENT the penalty when the rule is broken. Regulate the number of vehicles. New year/Diwali…. the main times when the picknickeers start hording down to the sanctuaries. If required close the parks during these times. Stop building more resorts in the corridors and habitats (for example Sinclairs in Dooars in West Bengal or Shradhha Group of Hotels in Gorumara).
Do not cut off the hand if the arm is broken.
Tourism is essential but has to be regulated. The above photograph clearly depicts that it will do more harm than good to the wild animals. Just imagine the kind of stress this Tiger must be going through, hounded by over 20-30 jeeps with 100s of people shouting. Let us also respect the privacy of the wild animals that they deserve.