Bengaluru: Amid raising concerns over man-animal conflicts across the state, forest department’s new move to set up a safari in the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve buffer zone has invited criticism. An imprudent move by the dept has fuelled the tension among local people.
What is Buffer Safari?
The Karnataka Forest Department is set to start a safari in the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve buffer zone to offset tourist pressure in one of India’s best wildlife habitat. The buffer was recently added to the Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, expanding it from 684 sqkm to 847 sqkm.
According to senior forest officers the government had approved the DPR (detailed project report) under the Tiger Conservation Plan.
Construction of ticket counters and other amenities for tourists is set to start soon. The path to this area has been cleared inside the forest.
Under the Tiger Conservation Plan the government had approved safaris at Nugu wildlife sanctuary and at Gundre range in Bandipur Tiger Reserve. The proposal was shelved under public protest in 2020.
What are the consequences of the project?
There are existing safaris at Kabini, Nanachi and Veeranahosahalli. But the department is ambitious to cater to more wildlife-centric tourists in Rajiv Grama and Lingapura. It will be an imprudent venture.
Local communities, including forest settlers, have objected to the new safari route, expressing their concern over elephants destroying crops in neighbouring estates and farmlands.
Kodagu district has been a high risk man-animal conflict zone with elephants and tigers (there are four on the prowl) frequently sauntering into human habitations.
Local people are also worried about the government facilitating boating at Gundpatnakere where elephants, gaurs, deer, tigers, leopards, bears come to quench their thirst.
What is the need for a fourth safari zone in Nagarhole, especially when man-animal conflicts have been escalating in the region, asked Mohan Nagarajan, a wildlife activist who cultivates his land on the periphery of the tiger reserve.
Ideally, the government should drop this project and set aside the allocated funds to pay regular salaries to temporary forest watchers. The funds could also be used to purchase state-of-the-art arms and ammunition, including tranqulizer guns, for protection of our flora and fauna.
Forest officials aver that the buffer safari will reduce this activity in the core habitat region. But stakeholders, including Jungle Lodges and Resorts, will be impacted in the long run.
JLR had recently bought the Kings Sanctuary resort and others had invested in resorts and home stays. The livelihood of the staff would be severely impacted.
Would the government close down safaris at Veeranahosahalli and Nanachi? Considering that tigers, leopards and elephants have been foraging into farmlands virtually every day, the government would be prudent to cancel the safari in the buffer zone.
