Tiger conservation body seeks report from Odisha on ecotourism inside reserve

In his letter to the National Tiger Conservation Authority, Mohanty had complained that pitching of 20 tents at Badmul on Mahanadi riverbed inside the Satkosia Tiger Reserve would be extremely harmful for local wildlife

The National Tiger Conservation Authority has asked Odisha chief wildlife warden to submit a status report on the adverse impact of tourism on Satkosia Tiger Reserve by December 18. The move came after wildlife activist Biswajit Mohanty alleged that ecotourism activities like camping on sand resorts, river cruise and treetop bridge walks were having an adverse impact on the local wildlife.

The NTCA’s letter to the Odisha government comes in the backdrop of a failed exercise to repopulate the dwindling tiger population of Satkosia, Odisha’s second tiger reserve after Similipal. (View of the Satkosia Tiger Reserve)

In his letter to the NTCA, Mohanty had complained that pitching of 20 tents at Badmul on Mahanadi riverbed inside the Satkosia Tiger Reserve would be extremely harmful for local wildlife.

“Riverbeds are unique ecological spaces that deserve to be left alone. The Mahanadi river bed within the tiger reserve is used for basking and nesting by turtles and crocodiles. Birds like Indian Skimmers, terns and Pratincoles use it for nesting and feeding. Setting up of tents and allowing tourists to stay on river beds impacts such wildlife and affects their ecological needs, including basking which is vital for metabolism of cold blooded creatures.

“Bonfires at night also affect nocturnal wildlife, disorients their vision thereby impacting their ability to feed and move about freely. Similarly, sand sports like basketball, football and volleyball will lead to sand compaction which will make the habitat unsuitable for ground dwelling, burrowing and egg laying fauna,” Mohanty noted in his letter.

Chief wildlife warden HS Upadhyay and additional chief secretary of forest and environment department Mona Sharma did not comment on the NTCA letter.

In his letter, Mohanty took exceptions to motorized boat cruises inside the Satkosia gorge in the core area of the tiger reserve, alleging that the sound and vibration of OBM engines would disturb aquatic fauna like turtles, fish, crocodiles and avian fauna like migratory waterfowl that are seen in large numbers. Very often crocodiles and turtles that are basking on the river bank have to dive when they see the approaching tourist boat which affects their metabolism dependent upon winter basking, he alleged.

Mohanty also said treetop canopy walk, another eco-tourism initiative in Satkosia, would end up disturbing birds who use the tree canopy for nesting and roosting and even for resting. “They would be disturbed if tourists approached them at close distance of 10-15 feet to watch them at the same level much above the ground. Their chicks would be stressed if humans approach them,” he complained in his letter.

The NTCA’s letter to the Odisha government also comes in the backdrop of a failed exercise to repopulate the dwindling tiger population of Satkosia, Odisha’s second tiger reserve after Similipal.

In June 2018, the NTCA with the Odisha and MP government had relocated a male and a female tiger as part of India’s first inter-state tiger relocation drive. However, the programme was abandoned after the relocated male tiger was poached while two villagers were killed in an attack by the tigress. The tigress, named Sundari, is now housed in a small enclosure waiting to be transported back to Madhya Pradesh.

Last month, the state forest department had proposed a 5-year-action plan for Community-managed Ecotourism scheme from the year 2021-22 to 2025-26 amounting to ₹160.70 crore in which officials suggested corporatising the ecotourism organisation by creating a lean Corporation with chief wildlife warden as its head. The meeting chaired by the chief secretary discussed institutional provision for quick financial approvals, freedom in hiring of employees and engaging domain experts.