Tourist Boats chasing a Tusker - Bandipur/Nagarahole

This is very disturbing.

On 31st December 2009, around 5.30 PM, I was sitting in a jeep near sun set point in Kabini enjoying the last sunset of the year.

What i saw next was really crazy. One big Tusker came trumpeting from the Bandipur side and wanted to swim across the Kabini river towards Nagarahole. But there was a tourist boat in that area. The elephant trumpetted because it saw the boat. But still got into the water and started to swim. The guests and the boatman got excited and they started following the elephant. Soon many more boats joined the chase.

Finally when the elephant finished swimming (roughly 200 meters), it had 5 boats in a single file right behind its back. The tusket got out, trumpted and ran behind the bamboo.

I have attached the final shot. I have about 20 pictures of the whole sequence.

When will we learn to give "space" and respect wildlife??

This is extremely irresponsible behaviour on the part of the tour conductors... I hope action is taken in this regard. Do send your images to the authorities to urge them to take action.

These incidents are unfortunate. Remember you also need elephants for tourism. Relevant picture for the incident.

It just shows that, the tour opertors can go to any extent to entertain their guests at the cost of animals. Are you planning to take any action in this regard? Do keep us posted.

This photograph is a perfect example of irresponsible eco tourism with absolutely no respect whatsoever for wildlife and its habitat. People who do not know how to manage wildlife trips or so called wildlife operators are making a mockery out of the word eco tourism only to make lots and lots of money. Hope the Forest Department issues warning to the boat operators and threatens them to cancel the License if such acts are repeated in the future.

Regards,
Siddhartha

It is unfortunate. These kind of scenes are being replayed at various parts of the country. In most of the cases, tourists are ignorant. However, the tour operators should exercise restraint. No tourist can force the driver to take the boat close to a swimming elephant. It is a conscious decision in the part of the operators. It is highly unethical.

Sabyasachi

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mrudul Godbole

It just shows that, the tour opertors can go to any extent to entertain their guests at the cost of animals. Are you planning to take any action in this regard? Do keep us posted.

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Mrudul. I am going to send the pictures to Chief Wildlife Warden and I hope he takes some action. Unfortunately there was a 6th boat that belonged to the forest department themselves:)

I will keep you posted on the outcome.

This is very sad. These incidents are happening without and with the knowledge of the forest department and they are not doing any thing to stop them. The people who handle the tourists need to be educated well and they inturn need to educate the tourists. I want to narrate the incidence that happened to me last month in Bandipur. I went into the forest through a famous resort's jeep and we saw a mother and son elephants. The driver tried purposefully to provoke the mother elephant so that it charges towards the jeep. He told us that people give him some money only if he does some thing like that. I was surprised and had to tell him not to worry about his money and insisted that we do not disturb the elephants. Jungle is their house and hence we should follow their rules.

Its pathetic and we crib that the tuskers have come into the villages and spoiled the crops. Where in we dont realise that we have our cultivation being done in their migratory path ,they have been using by instinct.People dont understand the animal instinct and act accordingly. lets give them way so they dont disturb us. Even while passing thru Bandipur park which we cut thru to wayanad - kerala, I have seen many tourist park their vehicle for a smoke.Let God give some kind of brains to these people.

It’s a worry to see such instances on the rise. We witness misbehaving travelers / tourists so frequently who are a menace to wildlife.

It is possible to form a working group in conjunction with the forest department to educate tourists, resort owners and tour operators on ethical wildlife behavior.

Forest officials should levy stringent fines to curb such instances.