Imposition of complete ban on use of mobile phones during jungle safari in Maharashtra is getting mixed reactions from wildlife experts, photographers and regular tourists. However, the Forest Department is touting it as a positive step to ensure tourists’ behaviour does not cause any disturbance to wild animals during jungle safari. This decision came immediately after an incident which took place in Umred Paoni Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary (UPKWS) where a tigress and her five cubs were cornered by a group of safari vehicles, which raised concern about the safety of the big cats.

 

“It is a good decision by the Forest Department. In recent time when tourists are crazy about clicking photos during safaris, such steps will confirm the safety of wild animals, specially the tigers,” Avinash Londhe, Honorary Wildlife Warden, Nagpur told The Hitavada. Subodh Singh Hada, a wildlife photographer said, “Tiger sighting in forest is a matter of luck. Every tourist want to see the tiger in forest and when they get the chance, they sometimes become excited to capture the moment in their cameras and mobile phones. In this situation, they pressurise the guide and the driver to take the vehicle closer to the big cat which is a cause of threat to the tiger and also to the tourists. Prohibiting mobiles during jungle safari is a good decision.”

 

However, Vinit Arora, another wildlife photographer believes that this decision will definitely help to reduce the crowding of vehicles during tiger sighting in forest. “It is a good decision by the department from a wildlife conservation point-of-view. However, instead of banning mobile phones inside the forest area, the department should find out alternative solution to avoid such incidents in near future,” said Arora. “The Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR) management installed a box in every safari vehicle where tourists submit their mobile phones during jungle safari and the tourist guide keeps the key of the box. It helps to avoid such incidents and in case of emergency like breakdown of vehicle in forest area, they can communicate with other vehicles.

 

Same alternatives should be adopted in all tiger safaris by the department,” said Arora. Jayesh Paranjape, a wildlife enthusiast said, “It is not possible for every tourist visiting jungles to afford a professional camera. Everyone depends on their mobile phones to capture the moments in a jungle safari. Restricting tourists from using their mobiles is a bad decision by the department. Instead of this, the department should find out some alternative way to reduce crowding while tiger sighting.” Implementation of the ban may cause loss to tour operators in Vidarbha as they are demanding to relax the restriction. “Due to that one particular incident, everyone else are suffering. We are facing loss on daily basis after the ban. Tourists are cancelling their bookings just because of the restriction,” said a tour operator. “Tourists are not booking our vehicles on week days due to the ban and the number is also reducing on weekends,” said the operator.