GUWAHATI: Elephant safaris resumed at the Kohora range of the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Upper Assam on Sunday eleven days after the park reopened for tourists last month.
The world heritage site has been closed for tourists since March in view of the COVID-19 pandemic besides floods in the subsequent period.
The park had resumed only jeep safari services in two ranges – Kohora and Bagori – during its reopening on October 21 while keeping the elephant rides suspended briefly.
“We have resumed the elephant safaris this morning with only 10 elephants. The number of rides will be enhanced on the basis of the response in the coming days,” Kaziranga National Park director P. Sivakumar told the media on Sunday.
“As against 100 percent booking (for 40 seats per day under Kohora range) for the elephant safaris, only 37 seats have been allowed for occupancy by adhering to the COVID-19 safety protocols,” Sivakumar said.
The KNP director further informed that privately-owned elephants would subsequently be allowed to undertake safaris at the Bagori range of the park after November 10.
“Some parts of the flood-hit Bagori range have to be cleared which is why we have taken some time to allow private elephant safaris to operate there,” he said.
Tourists from both Assam and outside the state, including foreign tourists, have thronged in large numbers since the park reopened eleven days back.
With the resumption of both elephant and jeep safaris, the park authorities expect a greater inflow of tourists in the coming weeks.