Recommendations for eco-touRism at GReat indian BustaRd sanctuaRy, nannaj

To reduce impact of tourism and to involve local community

Compiled by Dr Pramod Patil | GIB Foundation,Pune

Recommendations for Ecotourism at Great Indian Bustard Sanctuary, Nannaj

To reduce impact of tourism and to involve local community

Compiled by: Dr Pramod Patil GIB Foundation, Pune Contact: gibpramod @gmail.com 9960680000 Website: www.projectbustards.org Designed by: Gaurav Mahajan Contact: www.designovations.org | 9922414523 Front cover photo: Ashok Chaudhary Inside photos: Dhritiman Mukherjee, Harshad Barve, Dr. Pramod Patil

Introduction
is large handsome bird which is exclusively confined to dry short grass plains of Indian subcontinent. It is Critically Endangered and only 250-300 individuals left in the wild. It is included in schedule I of Wildlife Protection Act. Habitat loss and habitat alterations with lack of breeding are major threats identified for its decline and maintenance of its mosaic habitat is crucial for long term survival of the species. Estimated population of Great Indian Bustard in Maharashtra is around 35-40 birds (Dutta et.al.2010). In Bustard sanctuary, Solapur, (Maharashtra) the population of Great Indian Bustard is on decline and current population estimate for Nannaj region is just 10-11 birds.

Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps)

Need For Eco-Tourism Recommendations

Rational: Great Indian Bustard is a shy bird which keeps great distance from humans. Disturbance to breeding at many places has lead to failure of breeding and population collapse. With respect to tourism impacts at Nannaj it is crucial to develop effective ecotourism strategies and to incorporate some preventive measures to regulate current tourism related activities. Annually around 6,000 to 7,000 tourists visit bustard sanctuary at Nannaj. Major influx is observed during July to December and August to September shows highest tourist count. Even though bustard is much more threatened than tiger regulation of tourism has not been taken seriously at any bustard sanctuary in India. The immense disturbance caused by tourism along with some other factors has lead to extermination of species from Karera Bustard sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh. Difference between bustard tourism and tiger tourism: Unlike tiger tourism, bustard tourism predominantly takes place during Monsoon season. This is mainly because it is the main breeding season of bustards and bustard gather on traditional breeding grounds where they can be easily located. The biggest paradox is that tourism impact is highest during peak breeding season when actually least disturbance is expected and that too on core breeding areas.
Harshad Barve

Breeding display of Male Great Indian Bustard

Tourism Induced Disturbances and Recommendations:

1. Noise related disturbance: It has been observed that tourist do not observe silence and many a times they are found talking loudly, using mobile phones, shouting and laughing. Vehicles belonging to local people have been observed blowing horn and playing music. Recommendations: - Tourists should always be accompanied with guard, watchman. - Instructing tourists before they enter. - Displaying instruction boards for the same.

2. Unreported entry, absence of watchmen. In absence of watchman/guards many tourists enter the well known core areas and many a times cross the limits. The areas are: 1. Mardi 100 ha plot 2. Mardi 50 ha plot 3. Dreamland plot. This leads to massive scale disturbance to bustards. On many instances we have observed that entry of tourists at core breeding area (Mardi 100 ha plot) disturbs displaying male bustard. Recommendations: - Ensuring full time presence of Watchman all the time at all the breeding hotspots. For this help from electronic devices such as cameras can be taken which will record all the activities of tourists in these areas. - Cameras will also ensure the presence of watchmen at essential places at desired time. - Except local people any tourist without receipt should be fined for this.

3. Watch tower : Watch tower is major cause of disturbance to bustards. Noise generated from tower spreads over maximum distance and causes bustards to move away from the core area. Recommendations: - We recommend to remove the existing tower and to use it at some other place in the sanctuary.

4. Entering into core areas: It has been observed many a times that enter core breeding areas beyond limit. school children into core area lead to disturbance and it becomes impossible number.

Dhritiman Mukherjee

few tourists Entry of 50-70 massive scale to control such

Recommendations: To eliminate the possibility of tourists entering into core areas the entry point can be guarded with barricades having gate with lock, this will allow only those tourists to enter who have permission, official entry pass and who are accompa- Female bustards hiding from tourists entered into core nied by forest guard or watchman. There areas is need to restrict movement of people into core area and for this one more barricades lines needs to be built up in front line so that tourists will be immobilized from entering into core areas as they will remain into enclosure. Areas along the road sides can be protected from trespassing by deep wide TCM (Trench cum Mound) and plants such as Ghaypat can act as effective barriers. For the purpose of grassland birdwatching other areas outskirt to core areas can be used it will help in reporting wildlife from these underreported areas.

5. Watch Hut at Mardi 100 ha:

Current position of watch hut is disturbing to bustards. It is too far from main road and so core area grassland gets disturbed because of movement of tourists from road to hut.

The current size of hut is inadequate and it can hardly accommodate 10 tourists at a time. The problem comes when more than 10 tourists come to it and then many of them come out of hut and linger in the nearby area causing significant level of disturbance to bustards.

Not only the size but also the current design of hut is highly uncomfortable for observation.

There is lack of proper informative material inside the hut, current paintings have faded and are unscientific

Recommendations: We propose that current hut needs to be demolished as it is causing much disturbance to bustards breeding activity. A new hut with proper space for at least 20 people and comfortable design needs to be developed close to road i.e. away from display spot of male. It will reduce disturbance to greater extent. To ensure visibility to tourists the height of hut must be increased. This new hut will be replace old hut and watch tower as well. Design must be ecofriendly in appearance and comfortable for observation and photography. Photographic boards with authentic information on bustards needs to be developed inside new hut.

Watch hut at Mardi 50ha plot: Watch hut at Mardi 50 ha plot is at wrong place, if used frequently by tourists it will cause disturbance to bustards. We recommend to demolish this hut and to build small hut made up of wood and grass which must be used only by forest watchman. For tourists one more watch hut can be created close to road same like recommended watch hut at Mardi 100 ha plot.

Instruction / caution boards: The instruction boards or caution boards along the side of roads have faded or missing. Recommendations: There is need to repaint and establish new boards at few new spots. it will create awareness among tourists as well as warn local community against trespassing the forest areas.

Lack of innovative interpretation center: Current interpretation center is neither adequate nor innovative for awareness related to bustards, grasslands and there conservation it lacks uniformity in design. Recommendations: We recommend to develop open to sky interpretation center where live sized bustard statues can be displayed which will describe various behavioral aspects of bustards with habitat use. Such centre will act as scientific resource for training and workshop as well.

Lack of binoculars, spotting scopes, filed guides Bustard is a shy bird and keeps distance of at least 500 m from humans so it is impossible to locate and appreciate bustards with naked eyes. Most of the times people get disappointed mainly because lack of clear view of bustard. Currently there is lack of binoculars, field guides for watchmen as well as for tourists. Following equipments are necessary 1. Spotting scopes with tripods 2 Nos. 2. Binoculars (Nikon 10-50) 10 Nos. 3. Field guides (English) 5 Nos. 4. Field guides (Marathi) -5 Nos. 5. Revenue generated: The gate receipts and other fees generated from bustard sanctuary should be collected by the Protected Area management, and not go as revenue to the State Exchequer. This will ensure that resources generated from tourism can be earmarked for protection, conservation and local livelihood development. Facilities for single day tourists Many tourists visit the area only for one day as they get to see bustards easily at Mardi 100 ha plot. There are no toilets, washrooms and resting places for such tourists. Currently two tourist huts called as Panchkoni are in bad state and there is need to renew them so that it could provide accommodation. These huts can be allotted to students.

Involvment And Benefit Of Local Community

Bustard survival in long run is impossible without involvement of local community. In an order to develop sustainable tourism involvement and benefit of local community needs to be ensured. We recommend that sell of locally made products such as crafts, food products can generate additional revenue which can be used for the benefit of local people. With the help of NGOs such as GIB foundation other products such as caps, T- shirts and badges could attract more revenue which can be used for conservation purpose. Through volunteer training program and workshop local guides can be trained for more authentic and scientific eco-tourism.