In a landmark push to safeguard India’s tiger population, the Supreme Court has barred tiger safaris inside the core areas of all tiger reserves across the country. Calling the core zones “inviolate spaces” meant purely for conservation, the court said that no tourism activity — including safaris — can be allowed in these ecologically critical habitats.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, comes amid growing concerns over intrusive tourism, unchecked construction, and mismanagement inside several reserves, most notably the Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve, which has faced allegations of illegal felling and unauthorized structures.
Safaris Allowed Only Outside Core Zones
The court made it clear that states may permit tiger safaris only on non-forest land or degraded forest patches located in a reserve’s buffer or fringe zones — and even then, only under strict conditions. These safaris must be linked to a proper rescue and rehabilitation centre and can house only rescued, injured, or conflict tigers from the same landscape. Mixing of wild and held animals must be completely avoided.
The order effectively shuts the door on private or commercial safari ventures attempting to push deeper into sensitive forests.
States Told to Fix Conservation Plans
The bench directed all states to update their Tiger Conservation Plans within three months. It also instructed them to demarcate and officially notify the boundaries of core and buffer areas within six months, a step long overdue in several reserves.
In a major boost to landscape-level protection, the court asked every state to notify eco-sensitive zones (ESZs) around all tiger reserves within a year. Once notified, these zones will restrict a host of damaging activities — commercial mining, polluting industries, major hydropower projects, low-flying aircraft, introduction of exotic species, and unregulated construction.
Crackdown on Mismanagement and Religious Tourism
The bench expressed concern over the growing footfall of religious tourism inside protected areas, including pilgrim sites located close to or within core zones. The Centre and states have been asked to frame clear rules within six months to regulate such visits without compromising wildlife safety.
Jim Corbett Reserve, which has been at the centre of a restoration case, will undergo ecological repair under the supervision of the Central Empowered Committee. The court instructed that only native species be used for restoration to prevent further ecological imbalance.
Human-Wildlife Conflict Recognised as Disaster
In a significant move for forest-fringe communities, the Supreme Court suggested that human-wildlife conflict be treated as a “natural disaster,” enabling quicker relief under disaster-response systems. It recommended a uniform ₹10-lakh compensation for such fatalities and asked the NTCA to issue model guidelines within six months to help states manage conflict more scientifically.
Strengthening the Machinery on Ground
To ensure tiger reserves are not hamstrung by manpower shortages, the court ordered the creation of a special cell to review staffing and funding needs. States have been directed to fill critical vacancies — especially patrolling and field posts — and avoid outsourcing core conservation roles.
A Clear Message on Conservation
The Supreme Court’s ruling sends a strong signal that conservation must outweigh commercial tourism. While tiger safaris will continue in regulated buffer zones, the verdict shuts the door on activities that have increasingly crept into fragile core areas, often at the cost of breeding grounds and wildlife movement.
For India — home to more than 70% of the world’s tigers — the judgment is seen as a crucial step toward protecting its most important habitats from overexploitation.
