Bollywood actor and wildlife enthusiast Raveena Tandon is an optimist – she believes in looking at the positive side of any situation. And this is exactly what she has done as the storm over her recent visit to Madhya Pradesh’s Satpura Tiger Reserve has settled.
For her, the row has created awareness about her interest in wildlife conservation and brought attention to what “kickass” pictures she clicks. Firstpost’s Isha Mehrotra spoke to Tandon about her adventures in India’s forest, her many encounters with its famed tigers, and more.
Here are the edited excerpts from the interview with the actor.
You are a great ambassador for wildlife tourism in India. Tell us about how you developed an interest in it.
When I was around six or seven, the first-ever safari I went on with my dad was to Bandipur National Park in Karnataka and Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu. From then onward, my love story with the jungle started.
I have been to the forests worldwide but there is no romance in any of these jungles as in the Indian jungles.
Even if there is no sighting, when you are in that jeep, breathing that air in those forests makes me go into a Zen-like state.
Also, I have always worked for animals and our environment. Maximum abuse in the world happens to women and children and then to animals. I have been working for women and children as well as animals all along.
Can you tell us about your most memorable sighting? Also, your favourite animal to photograph in the wild?
My favourite would be the cat family, especially the tiger. I love photographing owls – they are such beautiful and majestic creatures.
Is there any animal that you want to see but have not in its natural habitat?
A sighting is rare and unpredictable. I have not seen a mouse deer yet. It is the rarest of rare sightings and surprisingly it can be found in the midst of Mumbai city – at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park.
Which is the forest you keep going back to in India?
I am partial to the forests of Rajasthan because it was on one of these safaris that I had my initial tiger sightings.
One of your recent safaris in Madhya Pradesh came under the scanner. Some reports said your vehicle was too close to the tiger. You got a clean chit but there is a probe against the driver. What would you like to say about that?
Well, I think even that would become null and void. What happened was that this incident got sensationalised; the whole thing got blown out (of proportion) by saying that there is a probe. I feel that is exactly what happened.
There is no probe as such against the guide and the driver. They (the forest officials) are just asking them what actually happened. The driver will submit a report and that would be the end of the story.
You said that close encounters in the wild are common. Do you think the row happened because you are a celebrity? Does it make you vulnerable to criticism?
We went for a regular safari… the video (of the tigress near the vehicle) was zoomed in and then zoomed out. It became a Catch-22 situation even for the forest officials there, “Oh, she is a celebrity and we will have to launch a probe because there is media pressure”.
With all this media hype, it became a clickbait controversy: “Put her name in and people would come on our website and read the article”. Unfortunately, we have to bear the brunt of it. But it is okay, it is not going to deter me from doing the kind of wildlife work that I am doing.
I thank every wildlifer, organisation, IFS (Indian Forest Service) officer, and my followers on social media from the bottom of my heart and soul for their unprecedented support during this incident.
This video raises larger issues about the nature of #tiger obsessed tourism at the most .. not sure if we need to blame @TandonRaveena for it https://t.co/CUechtEkRl
— Bahar Dutt (@bahardutt) November 30, 2022
Do you think there will be any action against the driver?
I hope not. I know how passionate and dedicated forest officials are to the reserves and their work.
You are a wildlife lover and often visit India’s forests. Have you encountered an angry tiger before this?
Many times. Quoting a friend who is also into wildlife conservation, “Tiger ghurraaye ga nahi toh kya poonch utha kar gaana gaayega? (If a tiger doesn’t growl, will it lift its tail and sing a song?)”.
You can find millions of incidents of close encounters with tigers online from around the world because animal behaviour is unpredictable.
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It is a very common occurrence. Tigers are meant to growl, they will growl at everyone. Which literate media thinks it is an offence?
There have been several incidents of pelting stones at tigers in the forest or zoos. Or blocking the paths of tigers in the reserves. What do you think can be done?
All forest officials do their best. I think we need to educate the masses on how to behave when they are visiting rescue centres or zoos. The guides and drivers should set norms for tourists like no littering in the parks or carrying plastic water bottles, and no loud noises.
Every time a tourist vehicle enters a park, there should be a wildlife protocol that should be followed. In South Africa, the guides brief you for 10 minutes before entering the park.
In zoos, some security guards can be posted around the enclosures where wild animals are kept.
Tiger tourism is booming. Since you are a regular, what are the tips a first-time or new tourist should follow?
First-time tourists get very excited, but unfortunately, they do not know how to behave (in a reserve). They start screaming and that should not happen.
The behaviour of the tourists is very necessary to control.
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When I tweeted about the Van Vihar incident (where tourists were pelting stones at a tiger in an enclosure), I was happy to say immediate action was taken by the officials there. We should enjoy our wildlife and our forests as we have beautiful flora and fauna. They are very important and we need to learn to value them.
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Other than the tiger, which species in India do you think needs more attention?
At the moment, every species needs attention. Our forests are depleting and it is very necessary to preserve and conserve whatever greenery is left on our planet.
Our real wealth lies in these forests and the fresh air that we breathe.
Have you been to Africa? How different is the safari experience there?
From settings and landscapes to the atmosphere, every different safari is a distinctive adventure. It has its own story to tell. Africa has the joy of spotting zebras, giraffes, the Big Five (lion, leopard, African elephant, African buffalo and rhinoceros).
It has a flat landscape, so you can easily catch sight of giraffes, zebras, and even a pride of lions lolling in the sun. But the thrill and excitement in Indian jungles are completely different when you are tracking an animal. There is a mystery at every turn here; you will suddenly see a tiger walking towards you or on a road that would be least expected.
Meanwhile, Africa has almost driven their rhinos to extinction, while Assam’s Kaziranga has increased its population.
Canned hunting in Africa puts me off, while, in comparison, India has stringent rules about poaching and any other kind of crime against wildlife.
There is a vast difference in how India and other countries treat their animals.
I am proud that we are reviving the cheetah population in India. I am very happy that Modiji (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) has taken the step to reintroduce cheetahs into our wild.
Any lessons India can learn from them?
They should learn from the laws in India. In Africa and some other countries, canned and trophy hunting goes on.
Africa has some great conservation efforts but they need to tighten their laws. I believe trophy hunting should be banned everywhere in the world.
In India, there has to be a limit on the number of vehicles that enter a park. Also, it is high time that we shift to electric vehicles going into parks instead of fuel-consuming ones. This is being gradually done in Maharashtra’s Tadoba National Park. I guess that would be the next big move towards becoming eco-friendly.
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