Can India’s Tigers and Tourists Get Along? | National Geographic

it is a symbol of power as well as

it is a symbol of power as well as beauty also for me it’s the king of the

beauty also for me it’s the king of the

beauty also for me it’s the king of the cats likewise the tiger I mean it’s it’s

cats likewise the tiger I mean it’s it’s

cats likewise the tiger I mean it’s it’s the icing on the cake

well there are Tigers there are students

well there are Tigers there are students the bad part is the intense pressure

the bad part is the intense pressure

the bad part is the intense pressure which Tigers in some of the reserves

which Tigers in some of the reserves

which Tigers in some of the reserves have come under because of their easy

have come under because of their easy

have come under because of their easy sightings and so too many vehicles too

sightings and so too many vehicles too

sightings and so too many vehicles too many people and unregulated kind of

many people and unregulated kind of

many people and unregulated kind of tourism tourism is a huge powerful force

tourism tourism is a huge powerful force

tourism tourism is a huge powerful force that allows anyone on the street to

that allows anyone on the street to

that allows anyone on the street to connect to wildlife particularly animals

connect to wildlife particularly animals

connect to wildlife particularly animals like tigers and elephants what’s

like tigers and elephants what’s

like tigers and elephants what’s happened now with tourism is that there

happened now with tourism is that there

happened now with tourism is that there are rules in place but in terms of

are rules in place but in terms of

are rules in place but in terms of regulating our tourist behave what they

regulating our tourist behave what they

regulating our tourist behave what they wear how they take their pictures I’ve

wear how they take their pictures I’ve

wear how they take their pictures I’ve seen huge variations depending basically

seen huge variations depending basically

seen huge variations depending basically on the guide and the naturalist that’s

on the guide and the naturalist that’s

on the guide and the naturalist that’s sitting with them so you have a very

sitting with them so you have a very

sitting with them so you have a very good guide a naturalist the tourists are

good guide a naturalist the tourists are

good guide a naturalist the tourists are very well behaved so it’s not specific

very well behaved so it’s not specific

very well behaved so it’s not specific to a particular Park it’s very much

to a particular Park it’s very much

to a particular Park it’s very much individual based so that’s a huge

individual based so that’s a huge

individual based so that’s a huge challenge that we have

so Supreme Court actually has mandated

so Supreme Court actually has mandated now that not more than 20% of any Tiger

now that not more than 20% of any Tiger

now that not more than 20% of any Tiger Reserve should be used for tourism the

Reserve should be used for tourism the

Reserve should be used for tourism the viewing distance being minimum of 30

viewing distance being minimum of 30

viewing distance being minimum of 30 meters to maintain the distance and not

meters to maintain the distance and not

meters to maintain the distance and not more than one vehicle not more than 15

more than one vehicle not more than 15

more than one vehicle not more than 15 minutes it is citing the parks are very

minutes it is citing the parks are very

minutes it is citing the parks are very small in India the average size is about

small in India the average size is about

small in India the average size is about three four hundred square kilometers is

three four hundred square kilometers is

three four hundred square kilometers is not Yellowstone it’s not the Everglades

not Yellowstone it’s not the Everglades

not Yellowstone it’s not the Everglades where millions of people can go in so

where millions of people can go in so

where millions of people can go in so certainly a fair system that sets limits

certainly a fair system that sets limits

certainly a fair system that sets limits on how many people can go in every day

on how many people can go in every day

on how many people can go in every day and it is regulated will go a long way

and it is regulated will go a long way

and it is regulated will go a long way in ensuring that people get to see wild

in ensuring that people get to see wild

in ensuring that people get to see wild tiger and for not to the point where the

tiger and for not to the point where the

tiger and for not to the point where the animals in the park are harassed in some

animals in the park are harassed in some

animals in the park are harassed in some parts in India we found that it

parts in India we found that it

parts in India we found that it generates three to five million dollars

generates three to five million dollars

generates three to five million dollars a year which can go towards both the

a year which can go towards both the

a year which can go towards both the conservation and protecting the wildlife

there’s this sense that when people go

there’s this sense that when people go into a park that their trip is a success

into a park that their trip is a success

into a park that their trip is a success if they see a tiger and I don’t I don’t

if they see a tiger and I don’t I don’t

if they see a tiger and I don’t I don’t think that’s how tourism needs to be

think that’s how tourism needs to be

think that’s how tourism needs to be switched I think most urban Indians are

switched I think most urban Indians are

switched I think most urban Indians are very disconnected from nature so even

very disconnected from nature so even

very disconnected from nature so even going either walking into a forest or

going either walking into a forest or

going either walking into a forest or sitting on a jeep and riding through

sitting on a jeep and riding through

sitting on a jeep and riding through brings back a connection to nature that

brings back a connection to nature that

brings back a connection to nature that most people have lost after their

most people have lost after their

most people have lost after their childhood this animal has this fantastic

childhood this animal has this fantastic

childhood this animal has this fantastic magnetism and personality to drawing

magnetism and personality to drawing

magnetism and personality to drawing people in droves literally to come

people in droves literally to come

people in droves literally to come through national parks and tiger

through national parks and tiger

through national parks and tiger reserves and then that visitation to

reserves and then that visitation to

reserves and then that visitation to master Fox builds the public opinion for

master Fox builds the public opinion for

master Fox builds the public opinion for conservation

conservation

conservation so Tigers intially the ambassador for

so Tigers intially the ambassador for

so Tigers intially the ambassador for conservation of the entire Indian

conservation of the entire Indian

conservation of the entire Indian wildlife