Tourists enjoying a Safari trip at Bandipur Tiger Reserve.
Credit: DH Photo
Mysuru: As per the order by Minister for Environment, Ecology and Forests Eshwar B Khandre, one late evening safari trip - each in jeep and bus - are being stopped at Bandipur Tiger Reserve (BTR), in the first phase.
In order to meet the increasing demand by tourists for the safari, the Forest department had extended the number of trips and altered even the time, recently. But farmers' organisations had accused that the safari trips, which stretch beyond 6 pm, and the light and sound of the vehicles were responsible for frequent incidents of tigers straying out of forests and human-animal conflict. Hence the forest minister passed an order, to curtail safari trips in both BTR and Nagarahole Tiger Reserve.
According to the Director of Bandipur Tiger Reserve, 28 vehicles - jeeps and buses - of the Forest department and Jungle Lodges and Resorts are doing safari for two hours in the morning and three hours in the afternoon and evening. Safari in jeeps lasts for two hours and safari in buses lasts for one and half hours. They are curtailing one trip in the evening.
According to officials, they have stopped one bus safari trip from 5 pm to 6:30 pm and a jeep or camper safari trip from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. So visitors can look for morning trips, including bus safari from 6:30 am to 8 am and 8 am to 9:30 am; jeep safari from 6:30 am to 8:30 am and 8:30 am to 10:30 am; and afternoon trips including bus safaris between 2.30 pm to 4 pm and 4 pm to 5:30 pm; and one jeep safari between 2.30 pm to 4.30 pm.
But, a wildlife veterinarian felt that they have hardly come across any human animal conflict around safari zones. Chances of such conflicts in these places are hardly 10 per cent, he said.
A Forest department official felt that due to safaris, the private space of tigers or any other animal is restricted to hardly five hours, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. Safaris do disturb the activities of animals, but they are not leading to any conflict.
But, Forest department sources shared that animals are active after 6.30 pm. "Evening safaris tend to be extended beyond 6:30 pm, as people insist on waiting to have a glimpse of a tiger. So, disturbed by the late evening safaris, animals tend to move to safer places and to the fringes of the forest. This might lead to human-animal conflict," they said.
Farmers' leader Honnur Prakash said that safaris, which are disturbing the activities of tigers and other animals in the core forest area, should be completely stopped.
Forest department sources said that safaris are a part of education and awareness creation on wildlife. It is also a source of livelihood for many. Hence they are not banning the entire safari activity.