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Corbett National Park deploys drone for monitoring tourists

The wildlife tourism season began in Uttarakhand with the opening of the Corbett National Park and Rajaji Tiger Reserve on…

Statesman News Service | Dehradun | November 16, 2017 12:32 am

Corbett National Park deploys drone for monitoring tourists

The wildlife tourism season began in Uttarakhand with the opening of the Corbett National Park and Rajaji Tiger Reserve on Wednesday. Wildlife lovers visit the two parks, especially to watch the king of the Jungle (tiger) in the wild.

This year the tourists visiting the Corbett National Park will be under the surveillance of drone. The park authorities were forced to impose monitoring system after receiving complain about the guide and tourists harassing the wild animal by taking their vehicles close to the animal and also staying at the spot for long.

Amit Verma, deputy director of Corbett Tiger Reserve, says, “Earlier we were using drones for security, this time we will be using it for monitoring tourist activities. We will take action against those who are found harassing wild animals.”

The Dhikala zone of the Corbett National Park was thrown open for the tourists on Wednesday. The Dhikala zone remains in popular demand as the tourists get the chance to spend night in forest guest houses. Many reports about the tourists creating nuisance in jungle have come to light recently. Creating noise and irresponsible behaviour against animals are some of the common complains about tourists made by wildlife lovers. But among all the selfie obsessed tourists have created the biggest trouble. The lure to click a close photograph, the tourists go close to disturb the animals in their natural habitat. Last year it was reported that a tourist vehicle blocked the way of a herd of elephant. In a move to attract birds one tourist played call of birds from an electronic device. Some tourists disturbed a tiger in the process of killing its prey.

The Corbett Tiger Park management has decided to help of drone to check rowdy behaviour of tourists. The opening day witnessed about one hundred Indian and five foreign tourists visiting the Corbett National park.

# Supplements

Local communities stimulate wildlife tourism in Assam

Visitors and tourists were just about trickling in when we visited Manas National Park, the Raimona National Park, and Kakaijana Park in western Assam in late October. The safari tour drivers, forest guides, homestays and hotel staff are back and eagerly awaiting tourists to flock in.

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