Wild encounters, rural gains: Tiger tourism spreads outside reserves in Karnataka
Bengaluru: Tiger tourism in Karnataka is spreading beyond the boundaries of reserves and sanctuaries, opening up new economic opportunities for villagers and local entrepreneurs. With tiger numbers on the rise and sightings increasingly reported outside forest areas, homestays and small resorts are mushrooming in peripheral villages, The New Indian Express reported on Sunday.
Antarsanthe, a village on the fringes of Nagarhole Tiger Reserve, has emerged as a hub for such tourism. Tourists book forest department safaris, which may not guarantee a tiger sighting but offer a memorable wildlife experience.
“Five years back I took this small home stay from a villager on rent. I suffered losses for the first couple of years. Now I am making profit. Most of my guests are from Bengaluru and Mysuru. They stay here and book safari buses or jeeps,” TNIE quoted Raveesh K, who is operating a home stay in Antarsanthe, as saying.
Kamanna, another villager, echoed a similar story. “My brother and I built a small homestay, as large constructions are restricted. Unlike inside reserves, there are no curbs on night travel here. Guests enjoy night and early morning safaris along the forest periphery, and many have spotted tigers,” he said.
Villagers are also diversifying into floriculture-based tourism.
In Angala, homestay owners have added attractions to draw visitors. One villager, Rafi A, installed a glass bridge across his sunflower field, providing a backdrop for photographs and social media reels.
“Due to increasing wandering wildlife, including tigers, leopards and elephants, sightings are guaranteed. We also help tourists to book safari rides,” the report quoted Ashoka L, a manager of a resort in Angala, as saying.
Forest officials, however, remain cautious. The surge in footfall, they warn, could increase the risk of human-animal conflict.
A forest department official noted that efforts are under way to regulate tourism outside Bandipur and Nagarhole, while steps are also being taken to promote tiger tourism around MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, BRT Tiger Reserve and other areas to disperse crowds from the two prime reserves and support tribals and villagers. “Tiger tourism is also being used to encourage forest dwellers to move out of forests and to help the department attract CSR and CER funds,” TNIE quoted the official as saying.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
