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Missing tigers hit R'stan tourism
The reports of missing tigers have dealt a serious blow to the once thriving wildlife tourism.
Reports of tiger disappearances from the Sariska national park and of birds missing in the Bharatpur bird sanctuary have dealt a serious blow to Rajasthan's once thriving wildlife tourism.
Travel agents and tour operators say they have now started to skip the two prominent wildlife places from their usual travel itineraries.
"We are telling our clients not to visit Sariska as there are no tigers. It is a pity, but we do not want our clients to go complaining," said Sanjay Kaushik of Rajputana Holiday Makers.
When tourists spent between $100-$200, they deserve to get the value for it, he said.
All in all, Sariska's tourist arrival figures have reported a sharp drop with only 1,497 out of total 970,000 plus foreign tourists to Rajasthan in 2004, having gone to the national park.
The year 2001 had seen over 12,350 of the total 608,200-plus tourists visiting the reserve, which along with the Ranthambore national park, also in Rajasthan, is supposed to be home to nearly half the country's tiger population.
But media reports have now quoted forest officials as saying that tiger sightings here have become rare.
Over the past eight months, no tiger has been spotted in Sariska. A taskforce set up by the state government to look into matters has attributed the fall to poaching activities here.
Two years ago, the wildlife census had counted 25 tigers in Sariska, which came down to 16-18 in the last year.
"Many travel agents like me have stopped selling Sariska and Bharatpur since there are no tigers or birds there. Why would you want your clients to go there to see just the blue bulls, monkeys and langurs," argued Navendu Goswami of Rajasthan Expedition.
A tourist from France and a self-styled wildlife buff, who identified herself as just Michelle, was quick to agree: "When there are no tigers in Sariska, why should I go all the way there?"
The travel agents were right to keep us off Sariska, she said.
Said Tracy, another tourist from Britain: "I came to Rajasthan to see wildlife as well as culture. But with two of the wildlife sanctuaries in bad shape I have decided to focus my trip on heritage and culture."
