India’s national parks attract millions of tourists every year. In the 2023-2024 financial year, Kaziranga National Park alone sa✱w 3,27,493 footfalls, while registered 1.4 million visitors in 2023. Recently, the Bombay High Court issued a notice to Maharashtra’s chief conservator of forests after viral videos emerged showing safari vehicles carrying tourists obstructing the path of in the Umred-Pauni-Karhandla Wildlife Sanctuary. Uploaded on December 31, 2024, safari ꧑vehicles can be seen crowding around the tigress, identified as F-2, and her five cubs from both sides of a road in the buffer zone of the sanctuary. A fine of INR 25,000 was imposed on the SUV drivers, while nature guides were fined INR 1,000 each. Additionally, cases have been registered against them under relevant sections of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
