The Karnataka government announced that safaris at Bandipur and Nagarhole tiger reserves will be reopened in a gradual phase after a temporary suspension starting in November 2025. The decision comes following a rise in incidents of human–wildlife conflict in peripheral forest areas, where authorities have had to reassess safety practices and conservation rules. A Forest Department spokesman said the reopening will adhere to rigorous protocols for visitor safety as well as wildlife protection.
Phased Reopening Protocols
Limited vehicle entry in the first stages; safari time restriction and mandatory access to the designated routes. Online booking systems will be expedited, authorities have said to prevent overcrowding and control daily visit figures.
After a string of interactions between wildlife and local communities led to a suspension and alarm over animal movement patterns and disturbance of habitat. Conservationists had called for a temporary suspension to assess ground conditions and to apply mitigation measures.
According to reports, forest officials bolstered patrolling, monitored animal corridors during closures, and worked closely with local inhabitants to avoid conflicts.
Importance of Bandipur and Nagarhole
Bandipur and Nagarhole are among India’s leading tiger reserves and form a critical part of the Nilgiri Biosphere. The parks, which contain a wealth of biodiversity, from tigers and elephants and leopards to wild birds and other predators, draw thousands of tourists every year. Safari tourism provides an important source of revenue and livelihood for the locals to promote conservation.
Visitor Guidelines
Under altered protocols, tourists might be subject to tougher identification checks, group caps on the number of visitors, and enhanced briefing sessions as they head into the core. The phased reopening will rely on ecological evaluations and real-time wildlife activity monitoring, authorities have said.
The Forest Department also reiterated that the priority was conservation, to which it sent in as part of their ongoing appeal to visitors to adhere strictly and responsibly to all rules: further relaxations, if any, will be reconsidered in the later stages of its implementation.
