Politics and greed set to wipe out big cat sanctuary

RANTHAMBHORE, India – The head of India’s premier tiger sanctuary has accused “politically influential hotel owners” of endangering the park’s future and warns there will be no big cats left to see in five years unless the number of visitors are controlled.

Big hotels, supported by “influential politicians”, have a “short-term view” and keep demanding access for more safari vehicles to ferry growing numbers of tourists to see the tigers, Govind Sagar Bhardwaj told AFP in an interview. “In five years, visitors will not see anything,” said Bhardwaj (35), who has presented a bold survival plan to authorities that includes developing other activities in the area to ease tourist pressure.”Already the total number of vehicles going to the national park is beyond its carrying capacity,” the district forest officer said.Ranthambhore National Park, once the hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur in India’s northwestern Rajasthan state, is the first stop for any tourist wanting a glimpse of the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger.But the park’s fame has led to a near doubling of visitors in the past 10 years, resulting in “an excess of tourism, putting it in peril”, said Bhardwaj, who took charge of the sanctuary in September 2002.In the past decade, visitors have soared to 67 981 from 36 808 a year, according to official figures, and park officials expect the tally to hit 100 000 in the next few years.Yesterday, state officials denied rumours Bhardwaj had been transferred as a result of his calls for authorities to control what he described as “the threat of uncontrolled tourism” facing the park created in 1980.”He’s in charge.We heard the rumours but no such orders have been issued.He has not been transferred so far,” principal forest chief conservator RG Soni said.Indian civil servants, especially “whistle-blowers”, are routinely abruptly shifted to other posts if they upset anyone in higher authority.In his 26-page plan obtained by AFP, Bhardwaj complained of “a new pressure on the national park from powerful and politically influential hotel owners”, who have built luxury resorts in eco-sensitive zones.He proposed in the 27-million-rupee (about N$3 972 000) plan there should be no rise in the 14 jeeps and eight mini-buses allowed daily into the park to see the tigers who number about 40.Daily demands “for favours” by “hotel chains and mafia people with political connections” for vehicles to take people into the park “take up all my time and I’m tired of it”, he said in the interview.The tigers, the largest member of the cat family, need quiet.”There are too many tourists and too many cars.It’s upsetting the tiger and affecting his behaviour,” said Bhardwaj, who holds a wildlife management diploma.He also recommended imposing a 10 per cent tax on hotel room rates to be used to protect the environment and develop village communities.”These hoteliers and resort owners are just minting money for themselves.Nothing is going for the cause of conservation or for local communities and it’s creating strong resentment against park authorities,” he said.Locals living near the park who support Bhardwaj’s calls for development of other activities such as camel and boat rides, camping, trekking and climbing, have called for him to be kept on, one hotel official said.Bharwaj said promoting other recreation forms would ease pressure of visitors on the animals and locals “will shift their profession from forest destruction to forest protection” as they could provide many of the activities.Now, the park faces threats from locals who graze their animals and chop wood for fuel.Ranthambhore shot to global prominence after then US President Bill Clinton visited in 2000 and spied two tigers.Aside from Indian visitors, it draws tourists from Britain, the United States, Germany, France and other nations.The park sprawls over a 1 334-square-kilometre area but the core, where most animals dwell, spans 300 square kilometres.It contains not only the 40 tigers but 37 other types of mammals such as leopards, bears and antelopes and more than a dozen reptile species, including crocodiles and pythons.There are also some 315 bird varieties.Bhardwaj may seem like an unlikely champion of the sharp-toothed hunters.In 1997, he was mauled by a tiger in 1997 in nearby Bundi district as he started his career and needed 37 stitches to close the wound.”I could feel it’s breath.I was easy prey but the tiger did not try to kill me,” he recalled.”It just showed its displeasure over my encroachment by slapping me instead of sinking its canines into me.”- Nampa-AFP”In five years, visitors will not see anything,” said Bhardwaj (35), who has presented a bold survival plan to authorities that includes developing other activities in the area to ease tourist pressure.”Already the total number of vehicles going to the national park is beyond its carrying capacity,” the district forest officer said.Ranthambhore National Park, once the hunting grounds of the Maharajas of Jaipur in India’s northwestern Rajasthan state, is the first stop for any tourist wanting a glimpse of the endangered Royal Bengal Tiger.But the park’s fame has led to a near doubling of visitors in the past 10 years, resulting in “an excess of tourism, putting it in peril”, said Bhardwaj, who took charge of the sanctuary in September 2002.In the past decade, visitors have soared to 67 981 from 36 808 a year, according to official figures, and park officials expect the tally to hit 100 000 in the next few years.Yesterday, state officials denied rumours Bhardwaj had been transferred as a result of his calls for authorities to control what he described as “the threat of uncontrolled tourism” facing the park created in 1980.”He’s in charge.We heard the rumours but no such orders have been issued.He has not been transferred so far,” principal forest chief conservator RG Soni said.Indian civil servants, especially “whistle-blowers”, are routinely abruptly shifted to other posts if they upset anyone in higher authority.In his 26-page plan obtained by AFP, Bhardwaj complained of “a new pressure on the national park from powerful and politically influential hotel owners”, who have built luxury resorts in eco-sensitive zones.He proposed in the 27-million-rupee (about N$3 972 000) plan there should be no rise in the 14 jeeps and eight mini-buses allowed daily into the park to see the tigers who number about 40.Daily demands “for favours” by “hotel chains and mafia people with political connections” for vehicles to take people into the park “take up all my time and I’m tired of it”, he said in the interview.The tigers, the largest member of the cat family, need quiet.”There are too many tourists and too many cars.It’s upsetting the tiger and affecting his behaviour,” said Bhardwaj, who holds a wildlife management diploma.He also recommended imposing a 10 per cent tax on hotel room rates to be used to protect the environment and develop village communities.”These hoteliers and resort owners are just minting money for themselves.Nothing is going for the cause of conservation or for local communities and it’s creating strong resentment against park authorities,” he said.Locals living near the park who support Bhardwaj’s calls for development of other activities such as camel and boat rides, camping, trekking and climbing, have called for him to be kept on, one hotel official said.Bharwaj said promoting other recreation forms would ease pressure of visitors on the animals and locals “will shift their profession from forest destruction to forest protection” as they could provide many of the activities.Now, the park faces threats from locals who graze their animals and chop wood for fuel.Ranthambhore shot to global prominence after then US President Bill Clinton visited in 2000 and spied two tigers.Aside from Indian visitors, it draws tourists from Britain, the United States, Germany, France and other nations.The park sprawls over a 1 334-square-kilometre area but the core, where most animals dwell, spans 300 square kilometres.It contains not only the 40 tigers but 37 other types of mammals such as leopards, bears and antelopes and more than a dozen reptile species, including crocodiles and pythons.There are also some 315 bird varieties.Bhardwaj may seem like an unlikely champion of the sharp-toothed hunters.In 1997, he was mauled by a tiger in 1997 in nearby Bundi district as he started his career and needed 37 stitches to close the wound.”I could feel it’s breath.I was easy prey but the tiger did not try to kill me,” he recalled.”It just showed its displeasure over my encroachment by slapping me instead of sinking its canines into me.”- Nampa-AFP