Riding a jeep through the jungle is an old tourist activity in Chitwan. During a jeep safari, you can see rare wild animals such as one-horned rhinos, herds of deer, and many other animals, from small to large, to even a leopard. Jeep safaris are only available in the morning and afternoon in the jungle. Until now, you had to leave the jungle when the sun set. But preparations are underway to start an 'evening jeep safari' in Chitwan. Conservationists have expressed strong dissatisfaction with the 'evening jeep safari' that is being started for the first time in Nepal.

A wildlife expert suggests - 'It is not that safaris should not be done, but one must take into account things like time, road conditions, and vehicle noise.' A safari is starting in the Barandabhar forest, an important and sensitive biological route connecting Chitwan National Park with the Chure and Mahabharata mountains.

The Barandabhar forest is cut by the East-West Mahendra Highway from Bharatpur Gondrang to Tikauli in East Ratnanagar. The three Panchakanya, Chaturmukhi and Bhimbali community forests on the Ratnanagar side, north of the highway, are jointly planning to conduct an evening safari. These forests have been hosting jeep safaris during the day since last year. 'We have worked tirelessly to protect the forest. Because of the corridor, there are also rhinos, tigers and chitals here. It was not just about selling firewood. We are going to start ecotourism because there is potential,' said Harikumar Gurung, chairman of Chaturmukhi Community Forest. He said that Panchakanya and Chaturmukhi forests have been conducting jeep safaris in the afternoon since last year and now they are planning to conduct evening safaris.

The Chitwan National Park Office issued a notice on Ashad 16, informing that the jeep safari inside the park has been temporarily closed. The park's notice mentioned that the jeep safari would be closed for two and a half to three months, not only due to the deterioration of the road inside the forest during the rainy season, but also because the rainy season is the best time for the reproduction of most of the wildlife and birds found in the park.

But on the same day, news came that the community forests located within the Barandabhar forest, an important biological route of the park, were preparing to start the evening jeep safari from Shrawan. Which is now receiving various reactions. Due to which, government officials are also planning to move forward after completing some preparations rather than starting the evening jeep safari immediately.

Soon after the news of the start of the evening jeep safari became public, disagreements from various people in the field of animal rights and conservation have also become public. Surajan Shrestha, a young man from Sauraha who has been active in the field of animal rights for a long time, wrote, ‘The Division Forest Office should stop this work immediately. The forest is the home of wildlife and no one likes noise inside the house at night.’

He reminded that since the Barandabhar area is an important biological route, an attempt is being made to make the wildlife comfortable by building a long overpass when the East-West Mahendra Highway is expanded. But he says that taking a jeep safari at night in the same forest is a dangerous and foolish step. He believes that we should respect wildlife and benefit from tourism. ‘Those who say that there is panic when wildlife enters human settlements, do you want a safari by making noise and driving a jeep into the forest at night? Let’s not be so greedy in the name of making money,’ said Surajan.

Conservationist and nature guide Doma Poudel says that night time is sensitive for wildlife. At such times, he believes that vehicles entering the forest will interfere with their natural life cycle. Doma says, ‘If the animals become stressed and aggressive, not only tourists will be at risk, but also those who go to cut grass in the forest will be unsafe.’ Tourism activities will reduce human-wildlife conflict. They will not create any new challenges unintentionally.’

She says that it is necessary to increase tourism activities by accepting the coexistence of humans and wildlife rather than bringing in more tourists. Conservationist Poudel demands that adequate research be done before such programs are started. Conservationist Basu Bidari of Sauraha, who is also a bird expert, has been a nature guide for tourists in the forest for 35 years. He is also against it. ‘This is an important corridor. Animals come down in winter. They go up in summer. They also roam in the evening and at night. What will happen to the animals if they do a night safari in the corridor?,’ said Bidari. Bidari said that night safaris should be stopped as the animals that hunt at night become stressed and aggressive due to the safari. ‘When do animals rest when jeeps run during the day and at night?’ he asked. Manesh Limbu, another nature guide from Meghauli, West Chitwan, has a slightly different opinion. He said that safaris should be conducted but the regulation and management should be tightened. ‘If conservation cannot be linked to income, it is not even conservation. Such safaris exist in other countries. We can do it too,’ he said.

Sauraha tourism entrepreneurs are interested in the idea of ​​a night safari in Chitwan, where morning and afternoon forest safaris are being conducted. Sauraha tourism entrepreneurs were preparing to start a night jeep safari in the intermediate community forests including Kumroj east of Sauraha.

Although such preparations were made seven years ago when the Visit Nepal Year 2020 was about to begin, it could not be implemented. After the plan for a night safari in the intermediate forest around the park did not move forward, now this plan is going to be started in the national forest area beyond the park and intermediate area.
Om Pandey, President of the Regional Hotel Association (HAN), Sauraha, says that if the evening jeep safari is started, tourists coming to Sauraha will be able to experience another new tourist activity. 'This is our initiative. We also had a meeting with the chairmen of the forest groups. The government bodies must have taken the process forward. If evening safaris were started, a new product would be added to tourism,' said Pandey. He said that they would start the safari if the government body approves the plan of the forest group.

There was opposition to the night safari, but he said that the safari will be held only in the evening. Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Bishnu Prasad Acharya of the Division Forest Office in Bharatpur says that the safari will not start immediately. 'Currently, jeep safaris are running during the day in two forests. The work plan for it will be completed in Ashar. A new work plan is yet to be made,' said DFO Acharya.

Chairman Pandey says that the safari will be started immediately as a trial and that it will be marketed and that the safari can be officially started from Dashain. There is a rule that the work plan related to the safari must be passed by the general assembly and approved by the forest office. It may take until the second week of Shrawan to start this process. DFO Acharya says that it is not possible to do jeep safaris during the rainy season. ‘It is necessary to include everything in the action plan.’ This means doing jeep safaris in the morning and evening. These things should be clearly mentioned in the action plan. The time for the evening should also be fixed. In summer, safaris can be done only till 8 pm and in winter only till 7 pm. These things should be mentioned in the action plan,’ he said.

There will be a 15-kilometer one-way safari route between Panchakanya, Chaturmakhi and Bhimbali. Govinda Syangtang, chairman of Panchakanya Community Forest, says that they have taken the concerns about the safari positively. ‘We do not want to affect the animals. The safety of animals and tourists is also our concern. We are conducting safaris in a way that does not affect the animals. "It will be approved because it will not have any impact," said Chairman Syangtang.

Wildlife expert Baburam Lamichhane said that a lot of preparation should be done before starting a safari in the evening. If a safari is to be run in the evening, he suggested that at least electric vehicles that do not make noise should be used. He, who has been studying and researching wildlife attacks on humans, said that the safari route should be free of potholes and obstacles so that the vehicle can move freely. "If you do this, only the light will affect the animals. Therefore, you should also take care of the time. You should not go on a safari in the evening," he said.