Forest Department warns tourists, jeep safari operators against harassing wildlife after sloth bear video goes viral

Forest Department warns tourists and jeep operators to avoid harassing wildlife after sloth bear video sparks safety concerns.

After a video of a sloth bear being approached by illegal jeep safari operators and tourists along the Moyar Road in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) went viral, the Forest Department held meetings with the drivers and warned them of strict action against harassing wildlife on Wednesday.

In the video, a group of tourists can be seen getting extremely close to the sloth bear, while illegal safari operators also clamber to get near the animal. The exchange was photographed by a wildlife photographer, who flagged concerns to the safety of not just the animal, but to also the tourists themselves, stating that sloth bears can be extremely aggressive and can cause serious injury.

R. Vidhyadhar, Deputy Director of MTR (Buffer Zone), told The Hindu the sloth bear seen in the video was being regularly spotted in the area as it was foraging for fruits and had become accustomed to vehicular traffic. “However, several unsafe incidents have been reported in which tourists attempted to approach the bear closely—actions that are extremely dangerous and pose serious risk to both humans and wildlife,” he said.

“Based on the advice of the Conservator of Forests and Field Director, Ooty, and under the directions of the Deputy Director, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (Masinagudi Division), a meeting was convened at the Masinagudi Range Office with representatives of the Nilgiris Motors Drivers Union, Dr. Ambedkar Drivers Union, and the Indian Drivers Association, who operate safari vehicles on the Moyar routes within the tiger reserve,” the Forest Department said in a statement to the press on Wednesday.

The safari operators were warned against stopping their vehicles close to any animals and were told to maintain a distance of at least 50 meters from the animals. They asked the drivers to ensure that tourists do not approach or harass wildlife and do not litter, warning that strict action in the form of fines would be imposed in the future.

“To ensure compliance, bike patrol staff have been deployed in the area, especially during weekends and holidays, to monitor and report any violations. Additionally, a signage board highlighting these instructions will be installed along the Masinagudi–Moyar Road. All tourists, local residents, and jeep safari drivers are requested to strictly adhere to wildlife-friendly behaviour, maintain safe distances, and cooperate with the Forest Department to ensure their own safety and the protection of wildlife,” the press release added.