Balancing Conservation and Commercialization: A Critical Study of Wildlife Tourism and Biodiversity Conservation in India
Rashmi Saha *
Department of Law, Brainware University, West Bengal, India.
Bappaditya Biswas
Department of Commerce, University of Calcutta, West Bengal, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
India's wildlife tourism has come to be a major source of conservation revenue and local economic growth. Yet the growth rate in tourism to sensitive ecological integrity is a matter of doubt regarding its long-term sustainability. The intricate web of conservation versus commercialization of India's wildlife tourism in the context of sustainable livelihoods is the focus of the present study. The main aim is to offer a lucid understanding of the mechanisms through which tourism affects livelihoods of residents and biodiversity and whether present practices balance economic benefits with ecological preservation. By employing a secondary research approach, reviewing existing recent literature, government documents, and policy papers to compare ecological and economic effects at chosen Indian wildlife tourist sites. The study aims to provide insights about the interrelation between wildlife tourism and wildlife conservation affecting India's local livelihoods and biodiversity. This study identifies India's biodiversity qualifies it as a conservation leader, but the benefits of wildlife tourism have ecological costs, requiring sustainable and inclusive management. Further recommends necessary policy reforms and measures that will ensure responsible tourism while still maintaining ecological integrity.
Keywords: Ecological preservation, wildlife tourism, sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity, conservation, ecological integrity