08/02/2018
NAWALPARASI, Jan 21: Animal rights activists and tour operators from around the world have demanded a ban on the elephant safari which is an important product for Nepali tourism. This has resulted in a problem in the jungle tourism. Chitwan National Park has been an attractive tourism destination because of elephant safari but now it seems that all the businessmen of this field may need to bear a big loss.
Operator of Temple Tiger Resort Mr. Basanta Mishra informed that Nepal is considered as the king in the jungle tourism in all of Asia and elephant safari is the base of its income so the government shouldn’t take this issue lightly.
He also said that the main reason of protection of elephants is the elephant safari. An elephant costs millions if purchased and the cost of maintaining the elephant in good condition for a month is Rs. 70,000 to one lakh rupees. In the treatment of a single elephant, as per the veterinarian doctor costs an annual amount of Rs. 100,000 so this unnecessary protest against the elephant safari should be stopped. Similarly, a lot of food materials are also purchased to feed them daily and so for him it is not just using the animal for one’s profit.
However, Tiger Tops, who started the elephant safari and made the elephant game “hatti polo” famous in the world have now stopped the elephant safari. With the ban on elephant safari, the tourism sector of Nepal will also weaken and it will be difficult to further raise the elephants who are currently being owned for elephant safari due to less income so government should think critically about this issue.
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