Tigers safaris in India
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
In India TOFT audit the resorts and accommodation to make sure that they run sustainably and that they meet environmentally friendly aims. By being a member of TOFT we use only TOFT approved accommodation, so you can be assured that the food you eat is locally and responsibly sourced as is the furniture, fuel and other resources used by the accommodation. TOFT also helps many projects to aid in the development and management of the national parks such as the park guide training and support programme, setting up of a ‘Sponsor a Guard Post’ or ‘Chowkie’ programme, establishing the park wildlife monitoring programme through Park Guides, an improved livestock compensation scheme (that compliments or enhances local Forestry ones) and setting up compostable loos in park areas and mechanism for disposal. All this is done with the overall aim in improving the environmental practices of the national parks and making their use more sustainable.
In Nepal and Bangladesh we apply all the same ethics and principals set down by TOFT to all the tiger safaris. In Bangladesh and this is helping to establish a better code of practice for tiger safaris, as ecotourism is still in its infancy here.
In Bhutan we help the environment as most of the park and permit fees for trekking and walking through the parks goes to help maintain the conservation efforts inside the park. The camping fees also go direct to the Community Development Fund which helps to maintain the trekking trails and conserve the parks.
In Russia our main impact on the environment is acting as a deterrent for poaching and illegal logging. The poachers and loggers stay away from the tiger tracking areas as they do not want to get caught, the number of loggers and poachers has also seen a decrease since the rangers and researchers have established the camera trap projects in the area. With the increase in tourism we hope that the local people who would otherwise take to poaching or logging for a quick pay day will start to see the long term financial benefits of having the forest and the big cats alive and thriving. This is the basic model used throughout areas where poaching and deforestation has occurred elsewhere and we have no reason to believe that if this tour takes off the same principals would not apply.
At the end of each we offset our carbon footprint (based on the number of tours we have completed and the number of passengers we have taken with us), with the Carbon Trust.
Wildlife
In India the main impact that our tours have on the wildlife is through the numerous scientific studies which are conducted throughout India by some of India’s and the world’s best zoologists. This research is all done with the purpose of understanding the tigers’ role in the ecosystem and the effect that tourism and local populations have on the tiger and vice versa. Once these impacts have been assessed TOFT can improve and make sure that tiger safaris in India are sustainable.
In Nepal we actively supporting the Crocodile, Vulture and Turtle Breeding Stations inside Chitwan National Park, which aims to reintroduce Gharial, vultures and endangered freshwater turtles back into the Chitwan National Park and has already seen success in Gharial reintroductions.
The Bangladesh we help the wildlife by making sure that all tiger sightings are logged and passed on to the park authorities. This means that the park can better manage the localised tiger populations. We also help to educate other tour providers who specialise in taking Bangladeshi families to the Sunderbans; these tour groups tend to be less inclined to follow environmental practices and we aim to help increase the sustainability of the tours and improve the environmental awareness of the Bangladeshi public.
In Bhutan the mere presence of eco-tourism in potential tiger watching areas is improving the understanding that of wildlife in Bhutan and every sighting, every detail is recorded and passed on to the local scientists who are still working on creating the ‘Tiger Corridor’ as promoted on the BBC series Lost Land of the Tiger. Hopefully with a better understanding of the wildlife here and by increasing the revenue generated by eco-tourism here the Tiger Corridor can become a reality.
In Russia our tour is based at a research station where camera trap studies are on going to try and gauge the population size of the tigers here and of course by staying here you are directly funding the on going study into this incredibly elusive cat.
Community
The local community benefits from our tiger tours of India because we are a member of the Tour Operators for Tigers organisation. This group is the leading force when it comes to stabilising eco-tourism in India and making tiger safaris sustainable for the future. Money is donated my us every year and then the money is allocated to various projects such as setting up community vegetable gardens to supply fresh fruit and vegetables to lodges, setting up of local handicrafts and cooperatives to sell handicrafts to lodges & visitors, setting up of nature trails for visitors with training of local guides, building of suitable ‘Machans’ for visitors to watch wildlife or birdlife, refurbishment and upgrade of village homes for homestay visitors, reforestation projects with indigenous tree species and local environmental education programmes.
In Nepal the community benefits as we visit the local cultural dance performances and take guided tours of the indigenous villages. This increases the revenue received by the locals and helps to promote sustainable eco tourism in the area. We also support local initiatives which are helping to train up local guides and drivers as well implement educational programmes which promote sustainable use of the natural resources and of course promote environmentally friendly tiger safaris.
In Bangladesh we help the local community by only employing local guides to each of the national parks we visit, this encourages the local people from close the National Parks (such as Lawacheera, Satchari and Remi Kaladega) to pursuit eco training instead of the best guiding jobs going to graduates from Dhaka and other large cities.
In Bhutan the local community benefits as we use local guides from local villages which helps the local community generate extra revenue. We also encourage the purchasing of local handicrafts which are all created in a sustainable way and provide great unique souvenirs.
In Russia the local community benefits mostly by tourists coming in and using their facilities and generating extra revenue. Just by visiting the area the local people gain an understanding of the international importance of this part of the world and the big cats that occupy it. This is increasing the number of local people pursuing conservation as a career.
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