As quoted by great American writer Mark Twain “India is the one land that all men desire to see and having seen once, by even a glimpse, would not give that glimpse for all the shows of all the rest of the globe combined.” is true in every sense. It’s not only a land of ancient culture, heritage, tradition multiple languages, and religions living under one nation but also a country where humans and wildlife have coexisted for centuries.
India introduced laws safeguarding the forest and wildlife through the “ Wildlife Protection Act” in 1972 and has been a pioneer in many critical wildlife conservation projects like the “Project Tiger “ in 1973. Due to many wildlife conservation projects like these today, India has achieved almost one-fourth of its total geographical area as forest cover according to the forest survey by the government of India. The population of wildlife is also thriving due to the protection of its habitat. Here are the top 5 reasons on “ Why a trip to India is incomplete without tiger safaris”?
1. Thriving tiger population
The population of tigers is tracked through the Tiger Census conducted by the Government of India every four years. It’s one of the largest wildlife surveys conducted on a national level. It is not only a population estimate of tigers but also their prey, age and size, male tigers to female tigers ratio, and much-needed data important for their conservation. Tiger census is very helpful in comparison of wildlife population and implementation of strategies to reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
Due to the contribution of each and everyone from a forest guard to the Prime Minister of the Government of India, it is the best country in Asia for tiger safaris because of conservation efforts and almost 3000 Royal Bengal tigers in the wild.
2. Different types of habitats for tigers
Tigers being a highly adaptive species can survive from the marshy lands of Sunderban National Park to the foothills of the Himalayas in Corbett National Park. India is blessed with diverse habitats from the desert, high mountains, highlands, tropical and temperate forests, swamplands, plains, grasslands, and areas surrounding rivers, as well as an island archipelago. India has 4 out of 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world like the Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas, and the Western Ghats.
3. Types of safari options
Almost all Indian jungles offer a variety of safari options. Before booking a tiger safari tour, it is critical to familiarise yourself with the various safari options available. A gypsy or jeep is the most common tiger safari vehicle. For larger groups, an open-top bus or Canter is frequently used. Depending on the geographical features of the National park or wildlife sanctuary, there may be additional tiger safari options. Other options include boat safaris, walking safaris, balloon safaris, elephant safaris, self-drive, and many more in various national parks. The more options available, the greater the likelihood of sightings and overall experience.
4. Quality Accommodation
Another important factor is accommodation, as most wildlife lodges provide rooms per night with meals, tiger safaris, and other jungle activities. There could be a range of accommodations available, from low-cost homestays to luxurious wildlife lodges with all the amenities. There are also some National parks where you can stay inside forest rest houses, and camps managed by the respective forest department, which have very basic amenities. It is recommended for a hardcore wildlife experience.
5. Supports the local community
The local community which is closer to the forest was once used to live inside the tiger-critical areas inside the forest. They had been relocated and given employment opportunities by the forest department to work as forest guides, gypsy drivers, and forest guards. Tourism is the best way to create a source of income for the local community as no one knows the forest and wildlife better than them.
