New PTR safari route sparks concern among experts

Pilibhit: A new jungle safari route was opened on Saturday inside the core forest of the Barahi range in Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR), drawing concern from legal and wildlife experts. The move comes even as the reserve continues to grapple with recurring man-tiger conflicts that have claimed 64 human lives in the past nine years, an average of seven fatalities each year.Uttar Pradesh's forest minister Arun Kumar Saxena inaugurated the ecotourism season for 2025–26 at the newly introduced safari point. Legal experts have termed the expansion of safari routes an apparent violation of Supreme Court guidelines, while wildlife specialists fear that increased vehicle movement and tourist inflow could further disturb tiger habitats.