The Karnataka government on November 7 imposed an immediate ban on forest safaris in Bandipur National Park and Nagarhole Tiger Reserve following a series of fatal tiger attacks in the region.
The decision came hours after the death of Chowdaiah Naik, a 35-year-old farmer who was killed by a tiger near Hale Heggodilu in Mysuru district, close to the Moleyur forest range adjoining Bandipur.
“It is deeply painful that three precious lives have been lost due to tiger attacks in the last month in the forest fringes of Bandipur and Nagarhole in Mysore and Chamarajanagar districts.” Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment Eshwar B Khandre wrote in a post on the social media platform X.
Bandipur and Nagarhole are among India’s best-known tiger reserves, located in the southern part of Karnataka. Bandipur, spread across Chamarajanagar and Mysuru districts, is a major Project Tiger reserve and one of the most visited wildlife parks in the country.
Nagarhole, which lies across Kodagu and Mysuru districts, is also famous for its dense forests, elephants and rich biodiversity. Both parks attract thousands of tourists every year and form part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, one of the world’s largest continuous tiger habitats.
In addition to the safari ban, the minister has also prohibited trekking in all human–wildlife conflict–prone areas across Karnataka, including parts of Hassan, Chikkamagaluru, and Shivamogga, citing the safety of both people and wildlife.
The minister further instructed the Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and the Project Tiger Director at Bandipur to be in the field and supervise the operation to locate and capture the tiger believed to be involved in repeated human attacks.
The minister recalled that during a public meeting in Chamarajanagar on October 27, local farmers had expressed concern that frequent safaris were disturbing wildlife and driving animals out of the forest. The meeting, attended by District in-charge Minister K Venkatesh and Social Welfare Minister HC Mahadevappa, also brought up the issue of staff shortage in the Forest Department.
Following the discussion, Khandre said it had been decided to halt wildlife safaris in the affected areas. He added that all forest personnel, including those from the Bandipur and Nagarhole reserves, would be deployed in the operation to capture the tiger suspected of attacking humans.
Following the announcement, the tiger reserve issued a notification on its Instagram account clarifying that until further notice, the park had closed all safaris and that amounts received for bookings would be refunded.