India has 58 Tiger Reserves, which serve as an excellent example of wildlife conservation rooted in Indian culture. However, while conservation efforts stand on their own merit, whether they are being implemented properly or not has always remained a subject of debate.
The reality is that apart from about 16 Tiger Reserves, none of the others are even mentioned on the lips of people, wildlife enthusiasts, or photographers. One important aspect of this is that wherever there is more tourism, the rules and regulations of conservation are broken the most. We never discuss who these people are. Let me tell you these are individuals who have little real connection to conservation. They come in groups, organize alcohol drinking parties, flaunt their money, and openly violate laws that are criminal offences under the Wildlife Protection Act.
It is not just these ignorant and thoughtless people; many top-ranking forest officials are also involved in this. They have turned these reserves into personal hunting grounds.
When I visited Tadoba, many private operators in the Brahmapuri Forest Range were showing tigers to visitors without permission. Some even guarantee tiger sightings in exchange for hefty sums of money and surprisingly, they manage to deliver on those guarantees. The same situation exists in the buffer zone of Bandhavgarh. Some operators even have the audacity to offer walking treks through tiger territories, which is not only alarming but also raises serious questions about the functioning of our system.
Rajasthan is no exception either. News frequently emerges of illegal jeep safaris being conducted in Ranthambore, usually for high-ranking officials or people connected to politicians.
Today, the situation is that 40-42 Tiger Reserves have no real owners (no stake or popularity). Tourists either have no access to them, or the footfall is negligible. There could be many reasons for this poor transport connectivity, or India’s wildlife tourism being heavily centered only around tigers (even though tiger numbers there are very low).
Is it possible to reform this entire system and create rules so that wildlife tourism flourishes equally across all Tiger Reserves, thereby reducing the excessive pressure on just a few?
We often say that excessive tourism causes stress to tigers. I will share my thoughts on this with you tomorrow, and also make you aware of the actual impact of increased tourism on tigers.
#wildlifeact #wildlifeawareness #wildlifetourism #tadobatigerreserve #Bandhavgarhtigerreserve #ranthambhoretigerreserve
@ianuragthakur fact check- wrong info.. she is nowhere close to being Asia's fastest in her event. there are at least 7 hurdlers from Asia who have better timings than her.
@MisraSundeep Might find herself in the Asian Games podium. Barring the Chinese hitting above 70m mark, Anushka needs to overcome a couple of Japanese throwers. Not impossible
India to issue Tourist visas to Bangladeshi nationals again from 28th June I Political Appointee and former Dal minister Dinesh Trivedi presents his credentials to Bangladeshi President as New High Commissioner in Dhaka , Elevated to Cabinet Rank I
Follow YouTube- Smita Sharma Journalist for key updates, ground reports and analysis. #bangladesh #indiabangladeshrelations
Japan is the kind of country where elementary school kids can safely walk to school alone without any fear.
It’s light-years ahead of the rest of the world.
I was recently asked by members of the media about the status of the Golden Langurs rescued from an illegal wildlife trafficking network.
I am happy to inform that the 7 Golden Langurs, whose trafficking had made headlines, have now been successfully released back into the wild at Sikhna Jwhwlao National Park after rescue, rehabilitation and careful scientific monitoring.
Their return to their natural habitat is a testament to the dedicated efforts of our police, forest officials, wildlife experts, enforcement agencies and local communities.
This also sends a strong message to wildlife criminals: Assam has zero tolerance for poaching and wildlife trafficking.
Together, we remain committed to protecting Assam's rich biodiversity and safeguarding our natural heritage for future generations.
@chirangpolice & @btcforest did a great job !
#WildlifeMatters #GoldenLangur