Why Tiger Tourism?
What Pays Stays
 |
| Tiger Uday Patel |
I am visiting Kanha and Bandhavgarh National Parks, since the seventies, and have experienced the evolution of tourism for many years. After the extensive court battle to ban tiger tourism completely, a few years back, tourism in the core was restricted to 20% and that too has been divided into zones. This stops cluttering of the tourist vehicles and prevents intrusion into the lives of wild animals.
Sustainable, regulated, responsible, and eco-friendly, tourism has been a big boon in India. It has not resulted in ecosystem damage, nor impacted breeding, on the contrary, it has led to creating awareness about our precious inheritance and how nature works. It plays a role in inspiring people at the helm of conservation management and practices in India.
A visit to a National Park or a tiger reserve has been like an open classroom. Observing animals closely creates awareness and attachment with other life forms, this augurs conservation among the common man, and those who are responsible for our country's frameworks pertaining to development, conservation and tourism. Tourism is the best open-air classroom on the environment in the World.
Moreover relegated tourism in our reserves generates crucial revenue that is ploughed back into conservation and improvement of the protection infrastructure around the park. This aspect raises another question!
A major contributor to the recent success of tiger conservation has been the establishment of inviolate areas reserved entirely for other life forms. The PAs should remain for eternity.
Tiger Breeding Tourism Areas
Tigers have been breeding successfully in spite of tourism, and their survival rate has not suffered beyond natural causes and internal conflicts. Regulated tourism does not impact breeding at all. I have seen numbers rise in Pench, Bandhavgarh, Corbett and Kanha. They will surely rise in Nauradehi Tiger Reserve....they already are!
Will The Tiger Survive Outside the Tourism Area?
Public Pressure is the Key
Public eye pressure is vital for ascertaining the protection mechanism and conservation initiatives in the parks. Unfortunately, access to tourists in 80% of the non-tourism zone is completely banned. I do not know if the press has access to that area?
Restricted tourism outside twenty per cent has become a grey area, and nothing is known about what is happening there. The growth in tiger numbers is one significant means of assessment that the management and infrastructure upkeep is on the mark in the grey area. But not all reserves are experiencing growth, and this could be due to neglect and bad management practices.
While our foot sentinels are performing well, there are black sheep, and in absence of any pressure, they can be inimical to conservation in these parks. This is human and not hard to understand. I have seen a few of the park bosses with a complete lackadaisical attitude with extreme indulgence in photography and the use of amenities for personal or family gains.
Most of the top management have other roles besides supervision of the protection management and conservation activities, they have to stick to the desk considerably for justified reasons answering queries raised by the dispensation, working on reports, meeting staff for planning, and receiving VIP Guests or dignitaries. Well, and good, and they do make a field visit as much as possible.
 |
| Tiger Shri Navneet Maheshwari |
For public knowledge, the most crucial role is played by the field managers and staff down the line. Misappropriation of authority and corruption in the staff has led to the complete poaching of the tigers at Panna and Sariska Tiger Reserves and this is public knowledge. These are the reasons I am advocating enhanced public visits since the reserves are our inheritance of one and all and not the prerogative of the department alone.
The Rise in Tiger Numbers & Wildlife Managers
The rise in tiger numbers has been due to their breeding and survival capacity but as far as management impact is considered it has been crucial in the success factor, we have had some of the finest wildlife managers and staff in the last few decades whence the wildlife protection act came into the picture.
Like the buffer, the non-tourism areas can be subject to outside intrusion for illegal purposes some with the connivance of the staff. Way back before the pandemic ultras/villagers have been seen by tourists in the core area of the Kanha National Park. There are frequent talks of the presence of ultras in the buffer as well? This is not verified news but was mentioned by guides during my visits with guests, as I freelance as a nature guide.
It is not all hunky dory on the edge of the parks including the buffer. There are vest interests, mafias, poachers, wood loggers and forest encroachers and maybe those with connections with organized poaching networks. Political goons included. They can easily dominate or corrupt some of the staff on the field, thankfully the field staff is honest and dedicated, but there can be black sheep. Mind You!
Kudos to Park Management
We must rightly praise the park management pan India, for the great work they are doing. This is not a criticism article nor does it press upon tourism in the non-tourism areas. I am purely discussing issues.
I write for the general public.
Advocating Tourism in Non-Tourism Areas
Let's consider a few aspects of tourism in the park. The activity is managed by the local staff under the policy framework guided by NTCA and the State Governments. The policy framework has to conform to the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and the court perhaps.
Managing tourism in the park is difficult keeping in mind animal welfare, tourist safety, infrastructure requirements and the environmental impact. Hence regulated tourism in the non-tourism areas is ruled out. Well not completely.
Regulated visits in organized groups can be conducted in Canter, this will take care of safety factors. Access can be provided on good jungle roads. All parks comprise rest houses that can be points for rest.
The benefit of organizing tourism in the non-tourism areas is;
- Enhanced Public Pressure
- Enhanced Tourism Revenue
- Discouragement to Intrusions
No comments:
Post a Comment