Tourists visiting Karnataka tiger reserves to soon get insurance schemes

Jungle Lodges and Resorts, a subsidiary of the forest department, has been offering insurance coverage to all tourists visiting its resorts

Bengaluru

Every year, approximately 150,000 tourists visit Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserve encounter wild animals. (HT Archives)

The Karnataka forest department has introduced a comprehensive insurance scheme to enhance the safety and well-being of tourists visiting Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserves. This initiative will cover tourists who visit these eco-tourism hotspots and will provide an insurance amount of ₹1 crore to the families of tourists in the unfortunate event of mishaps, including wildlife encounters, officials said.

The PCCF (wildlife) G Kumar Pushkar has issued a directive to the directors of all five tiger reserves in the state, on June 22, endorsing the project’s implementation.

“The new scheme provides financial support to families in case of any loss of life within the forest premises’’ Harshakumar Chikkanaragunda Nagarhole tiger reserve director said. He said that the insurance plan would soon be available for tourists visiting tiger reserves.

According to officials, both Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserves offer safari services, offering tourists a chance to immerse themselves in the captivating wilderness of the region. Under this innovative scheme, no prior registration is required, simply having a ticket to the safari is sufficient to avail of the insurance benefits. They emphasized that financial support would be extended to families in case of any loss of life within the forest premises, officials said.

Every year, approximately 150,000 tourists , wild life lovers visiting Bandipur, and Nagarhole tiger reserve encounter wild animals such as elephants, tigers, leopards, and bisons. Incidents such as elephants running over safari vehicles underscore the need for additional safety measures. The introduction of this insurance scheme is poised to be a significant boon for tourists visiting the Tiger Reserves ensuring their protection and peace of mind, officials said.

A safari group had a close encounter with a tusker on September 9 , 2022 at Nagarhole National Park . The elephant charged at the jeep they were travelling and all escaped unhurt, officials said.

Jungle Lodges and Resorts, a subsidiary of the forest department, has been offering insurance coverage to all tourists visiting its resorts. This initiative was inspired by a letter from environmentalist Giridhara Kulkarni of Belagavi who advocated for extending insurance benefits to tourists exploring eco-tourism destinations. Responding to Kulkarni’s appeal, the forest department took action to implement the insurance scheme.