Attachment
Attachment Attachment Attachment Attachment Attachment Attachment Pilibhit: Nearly 300 tourists who visited Dudhwa National Park on Sunday, the opening day of Uttar Pradesh ’s advanced eco-tourism season, could not go on safari after rain left forest tracks waterlogged and muddy. The forest department had brought forward the opening of tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries from Nov 15 to Nov 1 to attract more visitors and boost revenue, but rain on Oct 30 disrupted the plans. DTR deputy director Jagdish R, however, said safaris had been conducted on the 40-km Sonaripur track and 20-km Sathiana route, with 83 Gypsy and 12 Xenon vehicles, besides five camp elephants.
Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) field director H Rajamohan said safaris would resume once the routes were safe for vehicles. “Had the traditional mid-Nov schedule been followed, nature would have absorbed the moisture, sparing tourists substantial logistical grief,” park authorities said. “The routes will be maintained for safari after the water is absorbed completely by the soil,” he said. The early opening also drew criticism from conservationists, who said the post-monsoon period was important for the Terai’s grasslands.
For decades, parks in the Terai region had reopened in mid-Nov, allowing monsoon water to drain and forest tracks to dry. The decision to advance the season was taken under minister of state for environment, forest and climate change (independent charge) Dr Arun Saxena. Tall grass provides cover for swamp deer, Bengal florican, Indian rhinoceros and Royal Bengal tiger. They warned that safari vehicles could disturb wildlife during nesting and breeding, damage wet soil and natural drainage channels, and increase the risk of human-wildlife conflict near farmland.
A Gypsy safari costs Rs 3,600, while a Xenon safari costs Rs 4,500. Nature guides charge Rs 500 per safari to explain the park’s flora and fauna to visitors. Stay updated with the latest Bareilly news.
The disruption could also cause losses to safari vehicle owners and nature guides, with operations expected to remain affected for at least a week. Download the TOI App.