The Implications of Ecotourism on Bengal Tiger Conservation Within India’s Protected Areas
Ecotourism has been broadly defined as an enlightening type of travel to natural areas that promotes the conservation of the natural world while sustaining the well-being of local communities. It safeguards the sustainable use of natural resources, preserves the culture and welfare of the local people, and ultimately aims to benefit the entire region in a multitude of ways. Ecotourism has gained popularity due to its conservation benefits, and the economic incentives bring great prosperity to both the destination and the local people. The acceptance of ecotourism has been a widespread phenomenon in recent years that has created a more extensive natural and cultural understanding of the chosen areas and enhanced the economy on a global scale.
India has been a focus of increased tourism activities, which are evolving into a more sustainable type of tourism, defined ecotourism. Throughout India three different areas are described as biodiversity hotspots, which are “both biologically rich and deeply threatened” making them irreplaceable according to Conservation International. These hotspots are crucial to the biodiversity in India, and ecotourism within these protected areas is being directed towards sustainable, conservation-minded activities.
The country of India holds 671 protected areas. These terrestrial, freshwater and marine areas are recognized and managed to accomplish the long-term conservation of nature while combining ecosystem services and cultural values. Protected areas can include national parks, sanctuaries, and reserves. While there is a large diversity of wildlife throughout India’s protected areas, the Bengal tiger, Panthera tigris tigris, a keystone species, can be found at the top of the food chain.
The Bengal tiger can be found primarily in India with a recent population estimate of around 1,700 animals. The Bengal tiger population is currently declining due to continued habitat loss, poaching, and insufficient government efforts to conserve and maintain viable populations; the results have been dramatic. As prey depletion and habitat fragmentation continues throughout India, these small tiger populations face even bigger threats without protected areas of habitat that are necessary for their survival.
The tiger’s range has declined by more than 50% over the last 25 years, which suggests a need for more creative approaches. Ecotourism is one way to couple the drastic need for increased tiger conservation efforts with creating a benefit for local communities to inspire their own participation in tiger conservation. Well-managed ecotourism activities will not only support biodiversity through tiger conservation locally, but it is also proved to be the ideal economic activity to promote the sustainability and development of natural areas as well as local community members
1) Economy, Education and the Tiger
Ecotourists do not all have the same expectations or interests, however, tigers are the highlight for almost all visitors. With travel and tourism as major sources of earnings and income in India, the potential of increasing employment opportunities is consistently improving. This also has implications for the enhanced educational opportunities.
The opportunities will be outstanding if the initiative for combining local industries with the ecotourism industry in India is taken. Ecotourism companies will provide the jobs and training to local people as naturalist guides, organizers, officers, and more - which allows people to be actively involved in ecotourism planning and development. As the training and involvement of local community members is expanding, the scientific knowledge of the importance of tigers in protected area ecosystems in India is becoming more apparent. The significance of ecotourism in protected areas for the tiger is not only becoming comprehensible with the local people, but with visitors and government officials as well.
Protected areas have been able to positively establish successful models of environmentally sustainable ecotourism by bringing in increased revenue from charges and fees and integrating better educational opportunities for visitors and staff. One 2004 report discusses the importance of giving back to the community and conservation showing that their ecotourism companies give 25% of all proceeds to local non-governmental organizations. As the economy continues to see earnings from tourist activities in protected areas, government officials and community members will be able to see a greater benefit to the tiger conservation efforts being put forth.
2) Community Value
The development of ecotourism organizations within protected areas in India provides benefits and incentives to local community members to gain support towards conservation initiatives and efforts. More recently, it is being recognized that these protected areas should play a vital role in the direct livelihoods of the local people throughout the country. The focus of late has been finding unique approaches to include the communities in the plans for ecotourism companies. A 2006 study addressed the fact that as a gradual process, protected areas have started to take the needs of local communities into account especially with the development of community-based programs. These are programs that promote a strong focus on tiger conservation, visitor experience, education, and the livelihood of local families.
In 2015. the Government of India defined four guiding principles for ecotourism initiatives as (a) the economic development of the area should involve the local community; (b) resource conflicts need to be identified and minimized; (c) the extent of ecotourism activity must be compatible with the environmental and cultural characteristics of local community; and, (d) transboundary conflict must be avoided and public services integrated. These principles clearly take the local people into account when planning for ecotourism company creation. To make ecotourism initiatives successful, models and principles must be defined for a clear direction for governments as well as community members.
Involving local community members in plan management for ecotourism initiatives has resulted in the protection of the ecological health and well being of the tiger within protected areas in India. Results have shown improved organization and protection of protected areas, a decline in resource use by local people, improvements in overall ecosystem health, construction of social capital within communities, and further creation of a long-term means for sustaining these successes.
3) Negative Implications on Community Value
The tourism industry throughout India has seen an unprecedented amount of growth over the past decade thanks to efforts made by the States in India and even as far as the Federal Government. As the number of people visiting sensitive areas increases, the need for more maintenance and management is heightened to conserve these vital ecosystems and species like the tiger. With the massive number of people, there have been ecotourism activities accused of having detrimental consequences on the protected area ecosystems. Developmental plans including ecotourism can have the potential to cause increased habitat degradation where there was not adequate attention given to wildlife conservation. Increased tourist activity within protected areas may actually turn out to have the adverse effect of the desired outcomes.
To establish the union between tiger conservation and economic development, we should work to identify economic benefits and incentives for local communities and economic incentives that reach the extent of biodiversity threats. When these two circumstances are not met, there may be adverse effects on conservation efforts. However, in moving forward with the reality of increased ecotourism activity in India, the importance of assessing both positive and negative implications will lead to future success.
4) What’s Next
Creating an integrated system for ecotourism into a more broad collection of sustainable livelihoods for communities in India through participatory management approaches is a top priority for long-term community support of tiger conservation; this support is critical for reversing the declining population trend. Conservation initiatives may also encourage feasible measures throughout protected areas to maximize the benefits to local communities. Finding a balance between ecotourism expansion and planning and community needs and values will be the key to successful tiger conservation endeavors.
Non-governmental organizations in India must make a substantial commitment to local communities and tiger conservation efforts alike. Collaborative intentions will ensure the advancement of ecotourism, conservation, and community involvement. Empowering community members will increases their support for tiger conservation initiatives as well as build backing against projects that may be disruptive near protected areas. Current research regarding ecotourism and the Bengal tiger in India is focused on the future of ecotourism in India and improvements that can be made to benefit tiger conservation throughout the diverse country. The current understanding of ecotourism must be expanded to provide added economic benefits, educational opportunities, conservation initiatives for the tiger, and unique collaboration interests. The increased effort in conserving protected areas and community involvement in this purpose can only lead to immeasurable benefits for the tiger and their diverse ecosystems throughout India.
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