Wildlife tourism is witnessing a transfromation period in India. All thanks to the rising awareness of eco tourism and emerging trends of travelling for holiday sake which was not so preavlent in olden days and distant places were neither acessible . Travel shows, holiday packages,recreational corporate vacations have resulted in gigantic inflow of tourists in jungles too.Wildlife photografy workshops,birdwatchers trips.. what not . It just depends on the wishlist and the amount of moolah that one has.
Hardcore wildlife lovers have been few. I rememeber being taken into indian jungles from the time I was just three around late eighties. I have been told we used to get an accomodation for 25rs in Dhikala, the core forest region of Corbett National Park.Elephant rides had never been a task. Easy accomodation and jungle love at its best. However when I returned back to the jungles, times had changed. It was a bad tussle for an elephant ride, the outside resorts had some fixed systems inside the park in a way that they would entertain the guests at the cost of the government norms already set in terms of rides.
In short there was no system this time ,and corruption was pretty much visible,no regulations for the number of cars. Unfortunately the norms are not strictly followed in the Jugles of India. If u happen to see a female with pencil heels climbing the back of an elephant, or men wearing red tshirts, children carrying all sorts of food packets inside the park ,its disgusting for wildlife lovers .. shouldnt there be any code of conduct in such sensitive areas where the most endangered species of our planet survive.
The clatter when a tiger surrounded by long ques of gypsies is recieved at hands of insesnsitive tourists is just disgusting and to be a part of all this drama and accepting things the way they are being slothful and passive for the most beautiful cretaure brings a self of malefaction. For maximum public the charm of the jungle is = Only and only Tiger sighting for which the routes are crowded at various points not letting the big cat move only. I wonder how does the animal feel for this everyday confrontation with cameras and tourist gypsies. It must have been accustomed though like at Bandhav Garh .
Wildlife tourism is playng a great role in the conservation of wild animals. Apart from the revenue the movement of tourists in the tiger areas ensure public presence + the presence of forest staff. This in return helps in avoiding the incidents of poaching to some scale. This positive aspect can not be ignored at any cost. However the reserach and development is still to go the fore in the country. The day when all decisions are taken in response to the research and the facts is still awaited .
Well the larger decisions are in the hands of higher authorities. However we as a resposible tourist have some rules to follow. The ones those who have seen tigers should try and also enjoy the habitat .None of us would relish a tiger in a zoo and watch it for hours. Similarly its wrong to encircle the cat and sit on its head for hours till the time it doesnt have to change its route in the jungle. There is a lot which i enjoy and do not get disappointed if i dont get to see one. The fact that they are safe inside the park is more fulfilling. It is sheer matter of luck or chance in big jungles to come across the big cat like corbett,where tiger sighting is not as often and sure shot as in Bandhavgarh. However I still relish Corbett more then anything else even if i have happened to not come across tigers for continuous five visits.
Toursim is directly propotional to the number of big cats in wildlife reserves. It is blissful to see the rising level of interest of the common public for the wildlife.
It is high time to envisage that what is that the real problem of wildlife management it is not how do they handle the animlas ,the real problem is that of the human management which has been actulaized with various encounters with the big Cat.
