Supreme Court Sets Strict New Rules for Tiger Safaris and Tiger Reserve Protection

The Supreme Court has issued a set of strong and mandatory directions to regulate Tiger Safaris, protect tiger habitats, and improve the overall management of Tiger Reserves across the country.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, Justice AG Masih and Justice AS Chandurkar accepted the findings of the Expert Committee formed after the Corbett Tiger Reserve violations came to light. Based on these findings, the Court has ordered all States to strictly follow the new rules within fixed timelines

Tiger Safaris banned inside core or critical tiger areas

The Court made it clear that Tiger Safaris cannot be set up in the core area or critical tiger habitat of any Tiger Reserve. This follows the provisions under Sections 33(a) and 38-V of the Wildlife Protection Act and the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling in T N Godavarman (March 2024).

Safaris only on degraded or non-forest land in buffer zones

Tiger Safaris can be established only on degraded forest land or non-forest land located in buffer zones, and even then, only if the area is not part of a tiger corridor.

The Court also said:

• Every Tiger Safari must be linked with a proper rescue and rehabilitation centre for injured, conflict, or abandoned tigers.
• No tiger from any zoo can be used for these safaris.

Only rescued tigers allowed; strict enclosure norms

The Court approved the guidelines of the Expert Committee with additional conditions such as:

• Only rescued or conflict tigers from the same landscape can be kept in these safaris.
• All enclosures must be approved by the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) and must ensure that wild and captive animals never come in contact.
• Field Directors will control safari operations under the Chief Wildlife Warden’s supervision.
• All earnings from Tiger Safaris must go to the Tiger Conservation Foundation.
• Carrying capacity rules must be created.
• Only electric, hybrid or solar vehicles should be used.
• Wastewater discharge must be completely prohibited.

All Tiger Reserves must notify ESZs within one year

A major direction issued by the Court is that every Tiger Reserve must have a notified Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) within one year.

The Court accepted the Ministry’s 2018 advisory stating that:

• ESZs must cover all buffer and fringe areas.
• Where buffer zones are missing, a minimum one-kilometre ESZ must be notified around critical habitats.

Once notified, the restrictions under the 9 February 2011 ESZ Notification will apply—this includes a total ban on mining within 1 km of tiger habitats or ESZ boundaries.

The Bench noted that many Tiger Reserves still do not have ESZs, and clarified that ESZs are not limited to National Parks and Sanctuaries. They must also include Tiger Reserves.

Ban on activities harmful to tiger landscapes

The Court approved a list of prohibited activities in buffer and fringe areas, such as:

• commercial mining
• sawmills
• polluting industries
• major hydroelectric projects
• introducing exotic species
• hazardous substances
• waste discharge into natural ecosystems
• low-flying aircraft
• tree felling without permission

Regulated activities—like hotels, widening of roads and water usage—can continue only if they follow strict wildlife safeguards and are in line with the Tiger Conservation Plans.

Tourism rules tightened; night tourism banned

The Supreme Court issued clearer rules on tourism near Tiger Reserves:

• New eco-friendly resorts may come up only in buffer zones, never in corridors.
• Homestays and community-run tourism must be encouraged.
• Zero-waste practices are compulsory.
• Mobile phones are banned in core tourism zones.
• Vehicular limits must be enforced.
• Night tourism is completely banned.
• Roads passing through core areas must remain closed from dusk to dawn, except for emergency vehicles.

The Court also directed that entire Tiger Reserves and their ESZs must be declared Silence Zones under the Noise Pollution Rules within three months

Nationwide governance directions

To strengthen tiger conservation across India, the Court issued several all-India orders:

• All States must formally notify core and buffer areas within 6 months.
• Tiger Conservation Plans must be prepared or updated within 3 months.
• Steering Committees must be formed within 2 months and meet twice a year.
• NTCA must monitor these plans and committees.
• Local community-based tourism should replace mass tourism.

The Court also clarified that Critical Tiger Habitats should be treated on par with Critical Wildlife Habitats under the Forest Rights Act.

Further, CAMPA funds will continue to be used for voluntary relocation from core areas, and additional funds must be set aside to keep core habitats undisturbed.

These directions were issued in the case concerning the damage caused to Corbett Tiger Reserve due to illegal constructions and large-scale tree felling.