Overview
- Forest minister Eshwar Khandre told the Assembly that Bandipur’s tiger population has grown from 12 in 1972 to about 175.
- Safaris in Bandipur and Nagarhole were halted from November 7 to February 21 after three fatal tiger attacks in 15 days, then restarted under regulations informed by an interim review that included a central representative.
- The department has reinforced high-conflict stretches with 25 anti-poaching camps, extended border patrols, an integrated command centre and drone monitoring across roughly 100 km of the 314-km perimeter.
- The suspension led to an estimated ₹6–8 crore revenue loss—about ₹2.5 crore at Bandipur and ₹3.5 crore at Nagarhole—and 35% of future safari income is being set aside for development and livelihoods in roughly 70 fringe villages.
- Trekking has been curtailed to daytime hikes up to Shesha Parvatha with a 150-person daily cap and no overnight stays, and the minister agreed to advance the start time to 5:30 a.m. subject to an order.