Wildlife tourism can act as an effective conservation tool: Expert

While successful, most Tiger Reserves in India are small and the tigers protected within their boundaries are not viable

Even though India faces challenges when it comes to ensuring the safety of foreign tourists, wildlife tourism has been slowly gaining ground. Not only has it helped increase revenues for the government, it has also aided local communities gain livelihood. In an email interview, Raghu Chundawat, a wildlife expert and the author of the report, The value of wildlife tourism for conservation and communities, tells Manavi Kapur how strong government policies and their implementation can further the cause of national parks and reserves. Edited excerpts:

How has wildlife tourism helped local communities? 

Wildlife tourism is currently focused on a few protected areas