CCF, Chandrapur, NR Pravin claimed Chandrapur forest department is pioneer in launching the tiger safari in territorial forest. After successfully starting the country’s first territorial forest safari on Karwa circuit in Ballarpur range, the second one has started in Chora-Tirwanja circuit. The move is aimed at management of forest-wildlife through active participation of rural people, establish human-wildlife coexistence, reduce people’s dependence on forest by conserving the green cover sustainably and provide employment to villagers, he said.
The safari circuit will be managed by joint forest management committee of Chora village. The area is rich in bio-diversity and wildlife with good number of tigers, leopards, Indian gaur, bears, wildcats, spotted deers, sambars, blue bulls, chausingas, wild dogs, mongooses, wild boars and a variety of plants and birds, as well as colourful butterflies.
Initially, private vehicles will be allowed in this safari on an experimental basis. There are plans to give access to registered vehicles in future.
Divisional forest officer, Chandrapur division, SV Jagtap, informed that Chora gate is 136km from Nagpur and 46km from Chandrapur. The safari entry fee will be Rs500 and tourist will have to take a guide paying Rs350. The safari timing will be from 6am to 10am and 2pm to 6pm. Six vehicles will be allowed in each of the round during the day.
Forest department plans to provide training to local guides as well as making future bookings online at www.mytadoba.org. Plans are in offing to put a large number of e-surveillance cameras along the circuit to monitor and control tourism.
One more similar safari is coming up soon on Jogapur road, the forest area under Rajura range, that had witnessed increase in tiger-animal conflict last year.
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