Conservationists protest against caging tigers for tourism promotion in Bharatpur

CHITWAN, March 30: The wildlife rescue center in Devanagar, Bharatpur Metropolitan City-6, has been transformed into a tourist attraction, sparking protests from conservationists. The controversy erupted after Chitwan National Park made arrangements for tourists to view tigers in cages as part of the promotion of Bharatpur Visit Year 2024.

Conservationists took to social media to voice their objections, arguing that caging tigers for the enjoyment of tourists is inhumane. Animal conservationist Surajan Shrestha stated that exhibiting wild animals is inappropriate.

In a Facebook post targeting the park authorities, Shrestha criticized, “WWF plays a significant role in the project that keeps tigers in cages in Chitwan, exploiting them to attract tourists. Those responsible for boosting tiger populations but neglecting natural habitat management, now confining tigers to cages, must be held accountable. We are organizing a protest in front of the Chitwan National Park…