Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking a jungle safari during his visit to the Bandipur in Karnataka on Sunday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi taking photographs during his visit to Bandipur and Mudumalai Tiger Reserves in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
Tigers and leopards proved to be elusive for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who embarked on a safari at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve on Sunday, April 9, 2023.
However, the PM had a good sighting of scores of elephants, including a few large herds each with 20 to 25 members, a large number of gaurs, spotted deer and sambar besides a slew of birds, according to sources.
Mr. Modi, who arrived in Mysuru on Saturday night to take part in a commemorative event to mark 50 years of Project Tiger at Mysuru, left for Bandipur which is about 80 km from the city by a helicopter.
He landed at Melkamanahalli on the outskirts of the tiger reserve around 7.20 a.m and immediately walked towards the Martyrs Memorial and paid his respects to the forest department staff who had died in the line of duty.
SPG stick to predetermined route
Soon afterwards, the Prime Minister — who was donning a sun hat and wearing a khaki jacket and olive green camouflage — shifted to an open jeep and left for the safari at Bandipur, which is spread over 912.04 sq km.
Sources said Mr. Modi expressed happiness at the sightings and joked at the Special Protection Group (SPG) that their security drill may have perhaps forced the tigers and leopards to retreat.
Though officials were keen to take an alternative safari route in their bid to ensure that the Prime Minister was treated to the sight of a tiger, the SPG was firm in not allowing any deviation from the predetermined route, sources added.
Bandipur safari has been out of bounds for the public since April 6. The security apparatus had taken over the tiger reserve and even homestays and resorts were shut during the period.
Project Tiger status
Officials said sighting tigers was a matter of chance, which also depended on the timing and the season. Being summer, one could hope to catch a glimpse of the striped cats between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. or late in the evening. PM Modi’s safari which began at around 7.45 a.m. lasted for nearly two hours after which he left for Mudumalai.
Bandipur was one of the first nine national parks which were accorded the Project Tiger status in 1973 when the flagship conservation programme was launched. These reserve had 12 tigers then.
Conservation and protection ensured a steady increase in their numbers over the years. As per the Status of Tigers Co-predators and Prey in India, 2018, published by the National Tiger Conservation Authority, 173 tigers are utilising the park while 126 tigers live within the reserve .
