Wildlife enthusiasts against the camera fee hike in Bandipur

The Karnataka Forest Department has decided to raise the camera fee in Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserves and this has not gone down well with wildlife enthusiast. Earlier, the price was Rs 500 which has now been doubled or tripled to Rs 1,500.

“Most visitors to the reserve are amateurs who click pictures for their personal collections. These days, everyone owns a decent camera, but not everyone sells their photographs. Capturing wildlife in a picture is about getting a feel of nature. The revised prices are higher than that of any other wildlife sanctuary in the country. The authorities say the revenue generated will be used for forest conservation, but with the new charges, the frequency at which enthusiasts head there will reduce. There is no guarantee that you will get to capture great pictures, or even see wild animals on every safari. Do they expect us to come back and try our luck again by paying this hefty fee?”, said, Manjunath Hegde, who often goes on safari.

Amal George, a wildlife enthusiast has begun an online petition against the fee hike. He asks, “The forest department has been collecting fees for camera use since 2017. To what end has this money been used so far if they now claim that the new charges are going into wildlife conservation?”.

“The increased tariff is to combat rising fuel and maintenance costs. Yet, through the years, the amenities provided to visitors have been below average and continue to be so”, says Rahul Taranath, a wildlife enthusiast.