Supreme Court restrict tiger safaris to non-forest land
Why in news?
The Supreme Court of India has issued a landmark ruling restricting tiger safaris to non-forest or degraded forest land within buffer zones of tiger reserves and banning such safaris from core or critical tiger habitats.
Key Highlights of the Judgment
- Safari animals limited to rescued or conflict tigers from the same reserve.
- Complete ban on night tourism and use of mobile phones in core tiger reserve areas.
- Mandatory notification of Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs) around tiger reserves within one year.
- Ban on commercial mining, polluting industries, and harmful activities in buffer and fringe zones.
- Promotion of community-based and eco-friendly tourism models, with tourism revenues directed to conservation trusts.
- Strict vehicular regulation and noise pollution control in critical tiger habitats.
- States directed to prepare or revise Tiger Conservation Plans and constitute management committees.
Key Tiger Reserves and Populations in India
- Central India: Around 1,100 tigers in reserves like Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench, and Tadoba-Andhari.
- Western Ghats: Largest tiger population in southern India, estimated at 828 tigers across Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
- Sundarbans: Home to about 100 tigers in the mangrove forests shared with Bangladesh.
- Other notable reserves: Ranthambore, Sariska, Similipal, Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam.
This judgment underscores an ecocentric legal approach prioritizing ecological well-being alongside social and economic factors to ensure tiger conservation success in India continues sustainably.
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