NAGPUR: Pench in Madhya Pradesh may have achieved the distinction of being the best tiger reserve in India but Kanha and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) turned out to be the most visited tiger reserves in central India.
Official figures reveal that in 2010-11, over 1,74,773 tourists, including 34,078 foreigners, visited Kanha. This was followed by 78,881 tourists to TATR and 65,449 including 5,421 foreigners to Pench (Madhya Pradesh).
Compared to 2009-10, MP Pench and Kanha saw an increase in number of tourists by 9,336 and 20,749 respectively but strangely, TATR saw a drop. This is despite the fact that both the parks in MP have high-end tourism.
Last year, 1,03,616 tourists had visited TATR but the number dropped by 24,735 this year. A K Saxena, additional principal chief conservator of forests (APCCF), wildlife, East Maharashtra, called it a good development.
"The drop has to be considered against the backdrop of strict implementation of norms. We stuck to the carrying capacity and there was proper enforcement. It should not be taken in a negative way," Saxena said.
TATR witnesses traditional visitors. It is frequented due to promised tiger sightings besides other animals that are sighted in abundance, Saxena added.
On the other hand, on the success of Kanha H S Pabla, principal chief conservator of forests (PPCF) for wildlife, Madhya Pradesh, said Kanha had essential infrastructure needed for tourists besides guaranteed tiger sightings. "We also score from word-of-mouth publicity by tour operators and tourists," he added.
One of the tour operators V P Singh said while Kanha was visited for its beauty, Tadoba for assured tiger sightings. "Kanha is a sal forest and is lush green all round the year. The park is well managed with good facilities for tourists. Besides, parks in MP have advantage of strong marketing strategies under 'Incredible India' campaign," Singh said.
Himanshu Bagde and Sandeep Gujar, frequent visitors to Kanha, feel it was because Kanha started tiger tourism early. It is now part of international tourism circuit. Besides, those wanting to sight a tiger at any cost are shown with the help of elephants.
"Yet, Tadoba is better choice as you sight tigers in their natural habitat," Gujar said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Tiger-tourism-surges-in-MP-drops-in-state/articleshow/9461306.cms
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Special status to villagers under buffer zone of tiger reserve
Here is some good news for villages falling under the buffer zones of tiger project of Tadoba reserves in Chandrapur district of eastern Maharashtra. The Maharashtra minister for environment Sanjay Deotale has said that such villages will be accorded a special status. The 1,150 sq kms
Tadoba buffer area would include about 80 villages in Chandrapur, Warora, Mul, Bhadrawati, Sindewahi and Chimur tahsils. A notification was issued in this regard a couple of months ago.
According to the Wildlife Institute of India, every critical tiger habitat should have a 1000-3000 sq kms of buffer zone for effective forest conservation and wildlife protection.
Speaking at a function in Chandrapur – which houses the famous Tadoba tiger reserve and where villagers are up in arms against inclusion of buffer zone in their nearby forest areas -- Deotale assured the villagers that they would get benefits of various state government schemes to achieve development of their area.
Tadoba tiger reserve is renowned for its rich natural habitat and is one of the oldest national parks of the country. The reserve is also credited of being one of the best-managed wildlife projects in the country that led to an increase the tiger population from 42 to 69 as per the latest tiger census. It was said that as many as 28 tiger cubs were born in Tadoba-Andheri tiger reserve in 2010 alone.
The minister said that the government has chalked out various schemes and asked villagers to draw maximum benefit for their progress as well as that of the village.
Special benefits for the villagers come under buffer zone include: special thrust on alternative employment to unemployed youths, vocational training for students at free of cost and one-third of the revenue that generates from tourists for entry in the park, would be spent for the development of those villages.
Deotale appealed to them to actively contribute in protection and conservation of flora and fauna for maintaining environmental balance.
Talking to Hindustan Times, the chief conservator of forests and field director of Tadoba, VK Sinha informed that the government was also making all efforts to provide villagers alternatives for fuel, bamboo, small timber etc in order to reduce pressure on the forests.
He claimed that the villagers of affected villages are extending all necessary support to the wildlife wing for the conservation and protection of wildlife in the reserves.
Spread over 625.40 sq kms, Tadoba-Andhari is one of the oldest national parks in the country that was upgraded as tiger reserve in 1995. With some of the best of forest tracks endowed with rich biodiversity Tadoba is considered an important wildlife habitat of the country with a growing big cat population.
Apart from an approximately 69 tigers, it is home to rare Indian wildlife animals like leopard (28), wild dog (1758), wild boar (195), sloth bear (165), bison (1052), deer (2039) and others. Moreover, Tadoba is also an ornithologist's paradise with a varied diversity of aquatic birdlife and raptors.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Special-status-to-villagers-under-buffer-zone-of-tiger-reserve/Article1-728558.aspx
Tadoba buffer area would include about 80 villages in Chandrapur, Warora, Mul, Bhadrawati, Sindewahi and Chimur tahsils. A notification was issued in this regard a couple of months ago.
According to the Wildlife Institute of India, every critical tiger habitat should have a 1000-3000 sq kms of buffer zone for effective forest conservation and wildlife protection.
Speaking at a function in Chandrapur – which houses the famous Tadoba tiger reserve and where villagers are up in arms against inclusion of buffer zone in their nearby forest areas -- Deotale assured the villagers that they would get benefits of various state government schemes to achieve development of their area.
Tadoba tiger reserve is renowned for its rich natural habitat and is one of the oldest national parks of the country. The reserve is also credited of being one of the best-managed wildlife projects in the country that led to an increase the tiger population from 42 to 69 as per the latest tiger census. It was said that as many as 28 tiger cubs were born in Tadoba-Andheri tiger reserve in 2010 alone.
The minister said that the government has chalked out various schemes and asked villagers to draw maximum benefit for their progress as well as that of the village.
Special benefits for the villagers come under buffer zone include: special thrust on alternative employment to unemployed youths, vocational training for students at free of cost and one-third of the revenue that generates from tourists for entry in the park, would be spent for the development of those villages.
Deotale appealed to them to actively contribute in protection and conservation of flora and fauna for maintaining environmental balance.
Talking to Hindustan Times, the chief conservator of forests and field director of Tadoba, VK Sinha informed that the government was also making all efforts to provide villagers alternatives for fuel, bamboo, small timber etc in order to reduce pressure on the forests.
He claimed that the villagers of affected villages are extending all necessary support to the wildlife wing for the conservation and protection of wildlife in the reserves.
Spread over 625.40 sq kms, Tadoba-Andhari is one of the oldest national parks in the country that was upgraded as tiger reserve in 1995. With some of the best of forest tracks endowed with rich biodiversity Tadoba is considered an important wildlife habitat of the country with a growing big cat population.
Apart from an approximately 69 tigers, it is home to rare Indian wildlife animals like leopard (28), wild dog (1758), wild boar (195), sloth bear (165), bison (1052), deer (2039) and others. Moreover, Tadoba is also an ornithologist's paradise with a varied diversity of aquatic birdlife and raptors.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Special-status-to-villagers-under-buffer-zone-of-tiger-reserve/Article1-728558.aspx
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