Going on safari? Mind your manners

BANGALORE: Going on a safari could be high on adrenaline and adventure, but it is surely not the same for the animals who are stared at from the jeeps. Very few realize that safaris are trips inside very sensitive protected zones. Spotting a majestic tiger or lion is not possible every time. 

Kenneth Anderson Nature Society, in association with Wildlife Conservation Society and the Karnataka forest department, is organizing a summer campaign every weekend on the dos and don'ts in a safari. Currently, they are campaigning in the Rajiv Gandhi National Park. 

"Every time we take a safari ride in a protected area, we expect to see the elusive tiger. What people don't understand is that Nagarahole is 634 sqkm and safari rides are up to a maximum of 25 km. Tigers are solitary and nocturnal in nature and hence, sighting them on safari rides is difficult. This holds good for other predators too. Secondly, since these are wild animals, by natural instinct they avoid humans. We have noticed that people brawl or ask for a refund when they don't sight animals," said founder member and director of publicity and awareness, Hari Somashekar. 

Nagarahole -- with a huge population of herbivores and home to the tiger, leopard and dhole -- is a hot favourite among tourists and children during summer. Some people try and get off the safari jeep to take pictures of small mammals, some smoke near the entrance of the park or around it, and some litter. 

The campaign involves educating visitors on the salient features of theflora and fauna of the park and the behavioural traits that visitors need to maintain when amongst wildlife, distribution of pamphlets to visitors, interactive sessions inside the safari vehicle on dos and don'ts, help the visitor spot some lesser-known mammals and try to educate people about all other species found inside the park. 

While KANS campaigners brief visitors on the protocol to be followed in National Parks, they feel children are the most sensitive to animals. "Kids certainly see the pictures we show and recognize the animals when they sight them. And the best part is they call spotted deer `Indian chital' and wild dogs `dholes'. They learn very quickly," laughs Hari. 

For more information, call 9886623950.