India bans tourists from tiger reserves

The Supreme Court in India has moved to protect the country's tiger population by banning tourists from many of the central government's tiger reserves.

The court has warned that states which fail to implement the ban face contempt proceedings and fines.

The ruling seeks to protect the core zones of the tiger reserves, but tourists will still be able to visit buffer areas, up to a distance of 10km from the core areas.

Tiger numbers have shrunk in India in recent decades.

A 2011 census counted about 1,700 tigers in the wild.

A century ago there were estimated to be 100,000 tigers in India.

The BBC said the court's order is one of a number of initiatives taken by the Indian authorities to conserve tigers.

In February an entire village was relocated in the state of Rajasthan to protect the animals.


by Ian Jarrett, TravelMole Asia Pacific editor

Thursday, July 26, 2012

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