Now elephant safari in Melghat Tiger Reserve

Nagpur: Melghat Tiger Reserve (MTR) in Amravati district celebrated its 44th foundation day on February 22, by launching elephant safari for tourists.
Melghat is among the first nine tiger reserves of the country declared in 1974. It is the third largest tiger reserve in terms of area in India. On this occasion a unique programme was held in Semadoh ecotourism complex.

Field director & chief conservator of forests (CCF) MS Reddy was the chairman of the programme Amravati CCF Pravin Chauhan was the chief guest. Deputy conservators Vinod Shivkumar (Gugamal), G Madhavraj (Sipna), and Guruprasad (Akot), Avinash Kumar (West Melghat), Piyusha Jagtap (East Melghat) & Manoj Khairnar (Akola) were present along with field staff including assistant conservator of forests, range forest officers, guards, office staff and villagers. DFO Vishal Mali (Melghat) started the morning sessions with presentations of works regarding habitat management, protection and staff welfare being executed in the last one year in Melghat. This was followed by awarding 29 staff including guards, foundation staff as well as few NGOs and individuals for their outstanding work in various field in Melghat in the past one year.

The major highlight of the programme was release of Melghat coffee table book by dignitaries. The book — ‘Magical Melghat-A Montage of Landscape, Jungles & People’ — is a beautifully designed photographic as well as a literary treat for readers, which vividly describes the beauty of Melghat’s landscape.

The book will be available for sale from March 1, 2018 at all forest safari gates at Melghat as well as on the website www.magicalmelghat.com. The book is priced at Rs500.

On the occasion the newly made tourism complex and huts at Harisal was inaugurated. This was followed by inaugurating elephant safari at Kolkas for tourists. Now tourists visiting Melghat will also be able to witness the bathing sessions of the pachyderms as well as their playful activities in the water. There will also be a place where they would be able to witness how the elephants are fed and also click photographs alongside them. Over the past year Melghat has introduced many initiatives for tourists including adventure activities like zip line as well as kayaking in Harisal. All forest guards and officers were made to experience these activities themselves in the afternoon and evening session.

There was a special tribal dance programme organized at Harisal where Korku tribe of Melghat performed a dance to Korku music. Poultry farming was also inaugurated in Harisal and Mangiya as part of tribals’ ongoing livelihood activities in the region.

The officers and staff also underwent a brainstorming session where everyone was free to throw in ideas, suggestions and plans to achieve better success all round in every work of protection and development in the region. Reddy congratulated staff who worked hard to protect the majestic Melghat.