JOIN USFor some, love for nature trumps fear of coronavirus
The lockdown put an abrupt halt to people visiting nature and wildlife reserves in the country and the livelihood of thousands of people was upended. Tragic as this is, from the perspective of nature, however, it is a different story.
At the safari around the Kabini river, which opened up in a limited way for the general public from June 8 onwards, there is a reported increase in the instances of wildlife sightings - especially tigers, which are coming out into the open along the established safari routes in greater numbers.
News of this seems to have spread through word of mouth and social media, as immediately after ‘Unlock’, people — mostly couples or groups of friends — have made their way to the forest reserve, drawn by the promise of some time amidst nature, and aided by a policy of work from home. Though Kabini is a forested area, it does have a good network connection.
Koushik, a resident of Antharasanthe, a small town near the Nagarhole National Park, through which the Kabini river runs, says that the intake of tourists at Kabini has reduced by half, with 36 people being allowed in through three buses.
Despite these restrictions, Koushik says that the daily safari has a waiting list, with wildlife enthusiasts from places like Mysuru and even Kerala turning up with the hope of a tour.
Of tourism post the lockdown, Anil, a wildlife photographer who is also a resident of Antharasanthe, says, “There is a fear of the virus but people also get that persistent urge to visit the forest. So they turn up.”
With tourism picking up, the forest department is doing its best to maintain safety: sanitising vehicles, providing masks, carrying tour buses at half the capacity. Where people used to crowd at whichever window of the safari bus offered the best angle for a picture, now the chance of a good photograph is resigned to fate, as social distancing norms are in place.
Sometimes though, in the rush at the ticket counter or the moment a tiger is spotted, people forget the fear of the virus and social distancing goes for a toss, as they pay their reverence to the wild.
However, with the cases of Covid-19 rising in Karnataka, those turning up at the forest reserves, locals feel, are not just exposing themselves to risk of infection but are also putting the lives of local people at risk.