Karnataka restores full jungle safari at Bandipur, Nagarahole tiger reserves

Bengaluru: The state government on Friday announced the full resumption of jungle safaris at the Bandipur and Nagarahole tiger reserves after accepting the recommendations of a technical committee that assessed the parks' scientific carrying capacity.

The government directed the Forest Department to operate safaris in a regulated manner in line with the committee's recommendations, ensuring that visitor numbers remain within the assessed carrying capacity.

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The decision follows the government's acceptance of the committee's report, which evaluated the ecological limits of the two protected areas and prescribed measures for sustainable tourism.

In a statement, the government said Karnataka has significant potential for eco-tourism and consistently pursues a sustainable tourism model that generates employment and livelihood opportunities for local communities while supporting the regional economy.

The state remains committed to an eco-tourism framework that safeguards ecological integrity while ensuring tourism contributes positively to wildlife conservation, local livelihoods and visitor experience, the statement added.

The high court declined to impose a ban on tiger safaris in April, following which the government resumed safari operations in phases starting in February after a suspension of about four months.

The suspension, imposed in November 2025 after a series of tiger attacks on villagers in areas surrounding the Bandipur and Nagarahole reserves, triggered widespread booking cancellations at resorts and homestays during the peak tourism season between December and February.

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Since then, the Forest Department has captured more than 20 tigers as part of measures to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, paving the way for the phased reopening of safari operations.