Many environmentalists have decried the increasing tourism in wildlife areas and national parks as it disturbs ecology and is also a hindrance to wild animals. Time and again, videos surfaced on social media showing the carelessness of tourists and safari jeep drivers as they get too close to the animals. A video, shared by Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Susanta Nanda on Twitter, showed a jeep safari getting dangerously close to a tiger. The video is reportedly from the Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand. The clip shows the vehicle parked close to the tiger that is growling at the jeep. The driver is yelling to shoo the tiger away as it charged towards the vehicle. A woman in the background is heard panicking and telling the driver to reverse the vehicle. While the vehicle reversed, the tiger retreated back into the forest. “Striped monk gets irritated. What will you do if at every designated hours people crash into your house as their matter of right?” Nanda tweeted. Watch the video below: Striped monk gets irritated 😣 What will you do if at every designated hours people crash into your house as their matter of right? pic.twitter.com/4RDCVLWiRR — Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) April 26, 2023 Shared Wednesday, the video has received more than 22,000 views. “Entry/crossing through wildlife sanctuaries must be at a premium fee. It will at least discourage many. The issue is also that the Government is not as keen to protect the fragile habitat as much as they are in expanding infrastructure, including laying roads through forests,” commented a user. “It’s unfortunate that we the people do not allow animals to live in forest nor outside forest,” said another. “These safaris are the main reason why tiger numbers are increasing. They provide jobs to locals who would otherwise be against wildlife. Also generate funds for many welfare activities. Tiger populations are healthiest in most visited parks in India,” opined another netizen.
