Forest Department has decided to keep wildlife sanctuaries and buffer tourism zones of all tiger reserves in the State open during the monsoon season. As per the directives of Chief Wildlife Warden and PCCF (Wildlife) under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the core zones in all tiger reserves will be closed during the monsoon season (June 15 to September 30), whereas all gates of buffer zones in all tiger reserves will remain open. The Forest Department was experimenting to keep some buffer zones open during monsoon in Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) and Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR)in last few years.

 

However, this time, the department decided to keep all buffer zones in all tiger reserves open. Eco-tourism activities, including gypsy safaris, will continue in buffer zones and protected areas outside the Core Tiger Habitats (CTHs). Sanctuaries such as Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary, Dnyanganga Wildlife Sanctuary, Painganga Wildlife Sanctuary, Umred Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary, Yawal Wildlife Sanctuary, Nandur Madhmeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary and Sanjay Gandhi National Park will remain open to tourists during rainy season.

 

Forest officials said, this is the first time wildlife sanctuaries in Maharashtra will stay open during the monsoon, marking a major shift from the usual seasonal shutdown. Earlier, authorities in the Pench landscape had proposed an early monsoon closure of tourism activities in the core areas of PTR, Bor Tiger Reserve (BTR) and Umred Paoni Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary (UPKWS) from June 15 to September 30, nearly two weeks ahead of the regular schedule. However, the Chief Wildlife Warden directed to keep buffer zones in all tiger reserves open during monsoon. Usually, under guidelines issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), core areas of tiger reserves and wildlife parks remain closed to tourists from July 1 to September 30 during the monsoon season.

 

While speaking about the closure, Dr Prabhunath Shukla, Field Director, TATR informed that they keep some buffer zones open for eco-tourism during monsoon, but this time, all buffer zones and gates will remain open for tourists for safari during monsoon season. He informed that, the restriction is applicable for core zones only during the monsoon period. Similarly, Piyusha Jagtap, Field Director, Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve (NNTR) informed that, we got information to close the tiger reserve from June 15, but we are going to keep the tiger reserve open during monsoon as well except core zones.