Monday, May 4, 2026

India Bans Phones for Tiger Safaris






Many travel to parts of India in the hope of spotting the Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) in the wild. For many, it's a rare and unforgettable experience – the perfect moment for a photo. 

But perhaps not anymore. A number of India's national parks and tiger reserves have introduced new rules about the use of mobile phones. It comes after a ruling by the country's Supreme Court in November 2025 that banned mobile phones from certain areas to "minimize disturbance to wildlife". 

Wildlife disturbance has become a big problem in India. When tigers are spotted in parks and reserves, it often results in vehicles rushing to see the animal, with visitors focused on filming or taking photos of the moment. 

In February, a viral video showed a wild tiger in Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district surrounded by vehicles, with little space to move as tourists shouted and took photos. 

To mitigate the situation, several large national parks have banned the use of phones altogether. In some parks, visitors will be able to carry their phones with them but will not be allowed to use them. In others, they will be asked to leave their phones at the entrance to the park and collect them again after their tour. The use of cameras is still allowed, although many parks charge a fee for this. 

Anyone caught breaking the new rules may be fined or asked to leave the park. 

Drivers and tour guides will still be allowed to carry their phones with them in case of an emergency. 

With over 3,600 wild Bengal tigers, India is home to 75% of the world's wild tiger population, according to the BBC. The species has been listed as endangered for many years, but thanks to conservation efforts, numbers doubled between 2010 and 2022.

In the Scottish Premiership match yesterday between Celtic and Hibernian, the former had only one objective: Get the three points. 

And Martin O'Neill's side got the job done as the Scottish champions won 2-1. 





On 41 minutes, Daizen Maeda made his side's dominance count by slotting in a low Alistair Johnston delivery, but seven minutes later, their rivals poked in the leveller. 

After consistent second-half pressure, Celtic got their breakthrough through Kelechi Iheanacho, 151 seconds after coming off the bench. The Nigerian was in the right place when Kieran Tierney’s corner came all the way through to him inside the box, and he calmly side-footed the ball beyond the Hibs goalie to stab home in the 72nd minute. 

Celtic are now level on points with Hearts,  ahead of the latter's titanic showdown with Rangers today. And a day earlier, Falkirk beat Motherwell 1-0



No comments: