Nagpur, 25 June (HS):

The jungle safaris in the core zones of Pench and Bor Tiger Reserves, as well

as the Umred-Paoni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary, will be suspended for tourists

from July 1, till further notice. This precautionary measure, in line with

National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) guidelines, is designed to

minimize human disturbance during the monsoon and the critical breeding season. The internal roads in the Tiger Reserves are also damaged during the monsoon.

Dr Kishor S. Mankar,

Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director of Pench Tiger Reserve, Nagpur,

said in a press release that the annual closure is designed to let wild animals

roam and behave naturally, especially during their breeding season. However,

nature enthusiasts can still enjoy a restricted safari experience in the buffer

zones via the Paoni (Unified Control) and Surewani tourism gates. Bookings will

be accepted offline only.

The forest department

has appealed to visitors to abide by the restrictions and help bolster

conservation efforts throughout the monsoon season.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Ajay Vasant Mardikar